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IndyRob

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Posts posted by IndyRob

    Grocery chain evaluations

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by IndyRob
    Addition (log)

    They all have their pros and cons.  It depends what you're looking for at any given time.  IMHO, if you're not shopping at multiple places, you're not being smart shopper.

     

    Some that you've characterized as 'meh' are definite 'go to' places for me.

     

    ETA: there are already dedicated topics for ALDI and Trader Joes where I think you'll find many useful opinions.

    • Like 1

    Cream Cheese Brands

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Been making a lot of bagels lately - and buying cream cheese often.  My wife swears by the Philadelphia brand and will not be fooled.  I've tried all the store brands for half the price and am not convinced that there's much difference.  But I do like the Philadelphia brand as well and think there might be an edge in flavor. 

     

    What do you think?  Are there other respected brands?  Do homemade versions stack up?

    Basic Toasters

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    8 hours ago, weinoo said:

     

    This is a rather ridiculous statement.

    You don't say why.  I think that a toaster works best when the heating elements are as close as practical to the surface of the bread.  That way it can toast the surface quickly without drying out the middle.  A toaster oven's elements are relatively far from the surface of the bread, requiring more time in a dry oven atmosphere.

    • Like 1

    Fried Chicken: Cook-Off 5

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by IndyRob (log)

    After years of being beaten by fried chicken, I saw a video of Anthony Bourdain going to Willie Mae's Scotch House in NOLA.  Seeing that they battered fried their chicken I searched for 'Batter Fried Chicken; and found this recipe.  It appears to originally come from Cooks Illustrated.  IMHO, THIS is the way to do it.  I keep a container of the premixed dry ingredients on hand so I just need to add water.

     

    After a simple brine, the batter is made and  the brined chicken is dipped into it and fried.  You just need one bowl - none of this messy assembly line of flour -- egg -- flour/breading.

     

    But if you'd like to go even more crispy - after battering, dredge in some crushed Corn Flakes.

     

    I'm very pleased with the results (Note: I double the salt in the batter recipe).  But am now experimenting with the brine to include vinegar or pickle juice.

     

    [Edit to Add] Also, if you don't add the Corn Flake variation, the batter is very kind to your oil.  There is virtually no flour dispersion to wind up burning and fouling your oil.

    • Like 2

    Food in the time of a pandemic

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    11 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:


    Or get a starter going using a small amount of whatever yeast you have and keep it fed so you've always got a healthy colony of yeast farting away for your bread making pleasure. :D

    I've been told (by some credible sources) that commercial yeast does not reproduce.  So you may need to start with the indigenous yeasts of your own home.

    Thomas Keller and Oceana Grill sue insurance companies re COVID-19 closings

    in Restaurant Life

    Posted · Edited by IndyRob (log)

    https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2020/03/24/562277.htm

     

    Quote

    Many business interruption policies exclude coverage for pandemics and require physical damage to occur on the site. Others can be ambiguous, leading to possible coverage, legal experts said.

     

    Quote

    On March 16, the owners of New Orleans restaurant

    Oceana Grill sued Lloyd’s and officials in Louisiana, asking a state court to declare that the coronavirus, whether inside or outside the restaurant, is a type of “direct physical damage” that would require insurers to pay.

     

    Apparently, there is no exclusion for pandemics in the policy, so the question is whether the presence of the virus constitutes physical damage to the property.

    Best recipe or many on same subject

    in Food Media & Arts

    Posted

    I think they're okay if you approach them with the same sort of dismissive attitude they were posted with.  In the seriouseats eggplant link above, clearly this is some sort of compilation post recycling past content.

     

    But if I liked eggplant, and I had some eggplant, and was looking to do something new with it,  I might be happy to scroll through it.

    • Like 2

    Car engine cookery

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by IndyRob (log)

    This idea has intrigued me for a while now.  But after viewing various manifold cooking videos on Youtube and the like, I don't think I've seen anything that I'd call successful.

     

    A (surprisingly cheap) butane burner seems like a better path to mobile cuisine.

     

    [edit] Make some Spaghetti Aglio olio e Pepperoncino.  There's nothing there that even requires refrigeration.

    • Like 1

    Basic Toasters

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Yay, Heywood Banks.  We saw him do that live.

     

    IMHO, the toaster that tries to do more than it was conceived for is a poser.  Toaster ovens are the worst (for toast). 

     

    The best toast is crispy on the outside and soft and yielding on the inside.  That means having the heating elements close to the slice so that the outsides can get browned before the inside gets dry.  Even a wide-slot model that accommodates a bagel slice is a compromise.

     

    My toaster has some movable grates that move in to grasp the slice when you push the plunger down.

     

    I'd like to see a toaster that moves the heating elements in as well to accommodate the width of the slice.

    Buying a house: most important kitchen features?

    in Cooking

    Posted

    On 3/10/2019 at 8:29 PM, CanadianHomeChef said:

    ... What’s more important is the space. ...

     

    I think you've hit it on the head here.  Focus on that.  Since we've lived in our house we've gutted the kitchen and upgraded everything.  But there are some things that can't be fixed or worked around.  You need good ventilation, light (preferably natural),  enough room, access to utilities, a good flow to the dining area.  You can change appliances.  You can replace the cabinets.  But without the right space you'll be limited in your options.

    • Like 1

    Pastizzi Construction

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

    @IndyRob  I came across this when I was doing a search for cruffins.   Did you master the pastry?

     

    My last attempt was very promising.  I used a pasta machine to roll pieces of dough very thin before stretching it further on the counter, and even further while rolling it into the tube.  And then even further by stretching the tube.  However, I didn't allow the dough to relax long enough after that last step and had problems forming the pastizzis properly.  But they were kinda' OK nevertheless.

     

    I only attempt it every 6 months or so.  But the last attempt has me a bit more encouraged and I may take another shot at it soon.

     

    Cookies spread more when doubling recipe...?

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I'm recalling something I heard on ATK Radio regarding doubling recipes.  They found that leaveners (particularly) didn't double very well.  So you need to adjust up or down to find the right balance.

     

    I imagine it's a rounding error (because of the small quantities) regardless of measuring by weight or volume.  Or, perhaps it's a matter of a leavener's effect not being linear.

    • Like 2

    Home Winemaking....

    in Wine

    Posted

    I planted some grapevines a few years ago and I was looking forward to our first harvest this year.  After fighting off Japanese beetles for two months, things were looking good.  Then the birds helped themselves to the entire crop.

    • Sad 1
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