IndyRob
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Posts posted by IndyRob
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Has KFC changed over the years?
I had to wait to get my wife's opinion on this (as she is the more consistant consumer of the Colonel's fare), but I think we're agreed that the core product is largely the same as in the past. But also that they've come out with a lot of crap products in the interim ('though she likes the current wings).
I do think that the golden cultural age of the Bucket o' Chicken has passed us by. It used to be a family event. But I suspect that it's more about us than the chicken.
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I don't know nothin' about nothin', but I think you need, if you haven't already done so, to get some sort of sign up indicating that there is a fantastic transformation in progress.
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There is a big Sriracha thread already, but I'd like to ask about a more specific application.
For me, I think the best recommendation from that thread is sriracha on scrambled eggs. From that, I find that like to dot my eggs with sriracha, so it occurred to me that a spherified caviar form could be cool way to add a visual element to the introduction of novices to the practice.
I read all the spherification threads with interest, but really have never had the desire to experiment with all the forms. But this application, I feel, is one I really want to do.
So, for those so versed, what is the proper path to Sriracha Caviar?
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My parents discovered the KFC pot pies years ago, and were well impressed. I thought they were good (very pretty as well). But I think they lacked the bottom crust. And I think the commercial I just saw for the current ones might have suggested that.
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I think we need a special episode of Gordon Ramsay's F Word where seared scallops, prepared by equally expert line cooks, are served to 100 diners - 50 of which are gently turned with tongs, while the other 50 are coaxed onto their backs with kind words.
I suspect the results would be 50-50, with no preference detected.
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It hits my ears as presumptuous. It's kind of like the opposite of coming back to the table and asking how everything is. It may be meant as a wish, but is too close to a command, IMHO.
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It would be easy to destroy quite a variety of things with hemostats. Likewise tongs. But you don't have to use a death grip just because you're using a metal tool.
Even before this, from watching an interview with Keller I felt that if I were qualified and fortunate enough to work with him, it would only be a brief period of time before I would have to exclaim "Oh, come on..."
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Seal-a-Meal bags can be used and can cost about half as much. They are a thinner weight though.
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I haven't seen any problems in Indiana. I'm not sure about the ultimate quality or provenance of the variety of garlic we get, but in terms of it's serviceabilty, it seems quite good. No black spots, or growing chutes. The paper is white and dry and intact. The bulbs are firm.
However, if I buy too much and let them sit, well, that's another story....
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I started out with a bad feeling about this episode, but changed my mind. Yes, it was gimmicky. But I do believe that winning a challenge in adverse circumstances is worthy of advancement to the finals.
But early on, I thought that if the last elimination came down some silly test, I would be outraged. But as it happens, the last challenge was pretty much straight up, despite the biathalon - which didn't really affect much (although if someone had broken a hip, that would've presented a dilemma). Rabbit vs. Arctic Char in a real kitchen. Game on. As it turned out, whatever the advantage gained in the biathalon was for naught.
The underdog Bev lost but finally got her props.
I don't agree with the 'jumped the shark' sentiments. If season 1 is the benchmark, Top Chef has alternately under- and over- acheived over the different seasons and variations.
This will definitely not be my favorite season, but there are other worthy candidates for the worst.
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(Internet gremlins stole my original post, but the upshot is....)
If a 'group of foodies' are involved, I suggest making an occasion of it (with food and drink) and let each member take those volumes that they have a chance or desire to pass forward. Let these good works be done in memory of the deceased.
The estate is unlikely to realize any form of significant remuneration (i've had a bit of experience in this - books don't sell), so the loyalty should fall to the books themselves.
Half Price Books is also an option. They'll only pay a pittance for books, but the better ones will end up on properly categorized shelves perused by the public.
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The best sears I've ever acheived have been in a dry pan, with pre-salted sreaks. However, the temperature of the pan was about 765 degrees f (cast iron skillet on a grill - pan seasoning ruined
).At stove-top temps, I'm finding that I prefer the results with a bit of oil.
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Would salting the steaks prior to assembly mitigate the food safety issues?
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For some reason, chicken thighs at $0.88 to $1.30 are available perpetually at at least one local grocery store. Sometimes it's the whole leg-and-thigh section.
It's about paying (or not) for bone. If you can find a good buy on whole chickens I'd do that and roast them whole.
If I were doing this I would do that and then set the second priority on a big batch of rice. If you accomplish only these two things well, it won't be a complete disaster.
As both of these may take some time, I think I'd work myself from vegan sauces and ingredients, through to vegetarian, and then to proper chicken gravies.
Serve in a buffet ala carte style and let people take what suits them.
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Sweet deviled eggs? I've never heard of such a travesty.
This made me reflect and decide that there is a hint of sweetness in my deviled eggs. I certainly do not add sugar, so I thought a moment, and then walked over to the fridge and pulled out a container of store brand mayo....
Yep, included in the ingredient list is high-fructose corn syrup.
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Noticing this thread was an interesting coincidence since I had just been researching potsticker recipes where salting the cabbage is also done. A far different application though.
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Anyone else out there use cream or evaporated milk in their hash?
This is really my only experience with hash. 'Creamy Chicken Hash' which I got from a Good Housekeeping cookbook. Dead simple. Diced potato, seasoned and sauteed in oil. Then some cream, which is reduced and some diced cooked chicken added after the heat is turned off just to warm through.
It's good by itself, but strikes me as a sort of 'mother dish' to which many twists could be applied.
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Well, the previous post went awry. I'll try to explain the gobbeldygook above.
I had attempted to post a table showing what I found based on the Arby's Mac & Cheese Nutritional Info vs, the KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Original Flavor, unprepared
In short, the KRAFT Mac & Cheese is twice the calories per gram than what Arby's claims - As well as twice the sodium, carbs and protein.
ETA - This appears to be a case of Arby's 'dumbing down' KRAFT's product for their own nutritional sheets. If true, bad move by KRAFT.
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Nutr. Info. Per Gram
Arby's Kraft Arby's Kraft
Serving Size (g)113 70
Calories 170 259 1.5044 3.7000
Fat 5 3 0.0442 0.0429
Cholesterol 10 10 0.0885 0.1429
Sodium 0.35 0.561 0.0031 0.0080
Carbohydrates 25 48 0.2212 0.6857
Protein 6 11 0.0531 0.1571
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The last time I was at an Arby's drive through, I belatedly noticed the they were offering Kraft branded Macaroni & Cheese as a side item on their value menu. I was immediately intrigued but had already ordered.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Familiar, cheap, comfort food that is virtually-idiot proof and (probably) included some sort of mutually beneficial marketing arrangement.
So today I had 30 minutes for lunch which presented an opportunity to return for a sampling of said fare.
Somehow, by unknown means which evade my imagination entirely, Arby's have managed to screw up the preparation of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Upon unlidding the expected styrofoam container, I found a top surface that was beginning to dry out. Okay, well they obviously don't do these to order. They're probably sitting under heat lamps or some such thing, and this is a new item that they're not moving quickly yet. But underneath lurked a milky, decidedly non-faux-cheese tasting bland failure. Not even yellowish.
Perhaps this was a result of a single team member with a lax manager. But I imagine that with a partner such as Kraft, which has quite a lot on the line in this deal, they would have been meticulous in their training.
Has anyone else tried the Arby's Mac & Cheese? This episode makes me want to find another store to see if it was a fluke.
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And about the extruders, I haven't used them either, but I've never heard a good thing about them. Plenty of bad, but nothing good.
To me, they're one of those things that just almost work. It appears that newer models than mine may have been redesigned to extrude downwards as opposed to horizontally.
I seem to recall that there may exist a heated bowl for the KA. Extruding right into the cooking water might be just the ticket.
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IndyRob, my comments, at least, were referring to the roller-style attachment, I don't have the others.
I suspected that most, if not all, comments were indeed referring to the roller and nearly cancelled the post, but decided to just leave it and raise my error just as an alert for possible misunderstandings such as my own.
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For me, with little experience/ability with fresh pasta, I slightly prefer the hand roller. I much prefer the KA experience all the way up to turning on the motor. Even at the slowest speed I start to feel a little like Lucille Ball working on the chocolate conveyor.
The pasta comes out fine but there are the combined problems of trying to regulate a consistant length while keeping the strands from sticking together. I feel more confident working more slowly at a pace I control. If I had some more skill and/or guidance I might prefer the KA.
But I think the hand cranked roller has some other advantages as well. I think you can get a larger sheet out of it as well as have a finer control of thickness.
And having said all that, it just occured to me that there isn't a singular KA pasta attachment. There are rollers and extruders, as well as, I find now, a press. I was referring to the extruder, so I may have invalidated my post
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I can't offer any definitive answer, but was intrigued enough to do some searching. Apparently, these things are, despite the 'unflavored' labeling, CO2 trapped in hard sugar (or a sugar mixture with the necessary ingredients to create CO2 when they come in contact with water).
The need to flavor with a fat based substance is apparently necessary to prevent premature 'detonation' of the rocks by introducing water.
I found an article about creating your own at ehow.com (generally, I find articles on this site dubious, but it seems reasonable)
http://www.ehow.com/how_4842725_make-homemade-pop-rocks.html
The big problem for a savory application would be finding a substitute for the sugar. Perhaps someone else will have an idea.
I'm not sure about the suitability of pop rocks for a savory food, but I imagine that habanero pop rocks would earn an automatic inclusion on Man v. Food.
ETA: Maybe a barbecue sauce....
Time to throw out the flour?
in Pastry & Baking
Posted
It seems like there is very little downside to giving them a go. You're risking, what, a few eggs and some water (if you're making pasta), maybe some yeast (if you're making bread)?