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Mjx

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Everything posted by Mjx

  1. At the US school I attended, I recall the 'Chicken a la King' regularly served in the canteen being referred to by the kids as 'runover chicken on a roll'. This was still pretty generous, in my opinion, since It was atrocious, looked like cat sick.
  2. Mjx

    Savory Blueberry Ideas

    I've used unsweetened berries and bay leaf to make a sort of compote to serve with game, including duck. I don't have a hard and fast recipe, but just add a little gin, whisky, or rum to the pan to deglaze, bring down the temperature, if necessary add a little boiling water to cover the bay leaf I simmer in the now-deglazed pan for two or three minutes, reduce out any excess liquid, add the berries and a pinch of salt, and cook until they start to ooze juice (I don't like my berries very cooked). I sometimes add a pinch of cinnamon or a small clove. Sometimes (generally, with store-bought berries in the winter), a small amount of acid adds some dimension.
  3. This topic has been locked before it turned into a bloodbath, and because it was contributing nothing, and going nowhere useful.
  4. There are many forms of stainless steel, and some of them contain aluminium. Apparently, these alloys are designed with increased the strength in mind, which seems to have minimal utility in your average kitchen. I'm sure your local library has works that can fill in the details.
  5. http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21642107-alloy-iron-and-aluminium-good-titanium-tenth http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/news/a13919/new-steel-alloy-titanium/
  6. That looks gorgeous. Is the texture like a slightly more robust schiacciata fiorentina?
  7. This topic has been locked since the blog is now up and running.
  8. I too find that (once it's drained/the stock is pressed out of it) the meat left on the bones used for stock doesn't have much to offer, in terms of flavour or texture. It's still useful protein, so if there's a significant amount of it, I strip it off the bones, and save it to mince and use as a filler in things like filled pasta, larb, stews, that sort of thing (i.e. dishes where the meat is broken up small anyway, and so seasoned that the flavour of the meat is more or less background). I tend to keep i int the freezer until there's what looks like a useful amount.
  9. I'm up to my eyes in work at the moment (which iwhy I'm still awake at past 1.00), but google scholar should turn up some credible studies if you search for [cancer fasting]. Find me a researcher who does not bring some form of bias to his or her research, and I'll prove to you it is an impressively realistic android. An acknowledgement of potential conflict of interest has the advantage of making a study's audience imore discriminating in its acceptance of the research; we might not even be having this exchange, if the researchers had no connection to the company mentioned. A lot of the responses to this study seem directed at words associated with the titles of newspaper articles about it, and people tend to have a remarkably visceral reaction to the word 'fasting'. In this case, 'stepping back' is crucial, since it means 'not glaring wildly at that one word, and screaming at it incoherently to go away, because it has scary associations'; there is way too much of that. Keeping in mind that this is a mini, modified fast is absolutely important, under the circimstances.
  10. There is a lot of research on the effects of fasting on human health (executed with varying degrees of rigour, as is the case with any field of research), much of which originated in its effects on cancer cells, and then led researchers to explore the possibility of extending the findings to healthy humans. Since you review journals, you probably have access to substantial collections of research articles, so I definitely recommend taking a look (resist the temptation to cherry-pick, just dive into the 'fasting + human [cells]' area, and enjoy the rabbit hole!). Transparency is generally preferable, but without hearing the other side of this (and which has to do with an entirely different article), I simply don't believe I have enough information to draw conclusions about this. It would be lovely if science could work free of commercial interests, but because even simple research comes expensive, it is not at all unusual for research to be funded by a commercial enterprise, or for a researcher to have an interest in the the enterprise. This does not automatically invalidate, or even undermine, the research, just as disclosure of potential conflict of interest (which there is, here) doesn't automatically eliminate the risks associated with them. Again, I think it is crucial to step back and see what this study is saying, which comes down to there being indications that spending five days a month eating a reduced amount of food has some health benefits. This is not a drastic suggestion. Even if the major benefit to a given individual ends up being that it makes him or her think more about food, health, and the connection between the two, that's something, since most people in the Western world are so accustomed to taking for granted the regular consumption of large, even excessive amounts of food.
  11. The article was published in Cell Metabolism (a well-respected journal that does not publish 'pseudoscience'), and may be found here: http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdfExtended/S1550-4131%2815%2900224-7. The presentation of what is very clearly and honestly described as a pilot study on humans is on p. 9 (right hand column, bottom of page). It's also important to consider this study in a broader context: preceding it are literally decades of credible studies addressing the effects of fasting on human health. This is no more some new 'food trend' than, say, washing your hands before eating. What makes this study interesting is that it explores an alternative to fasting that appears to yield similar effects. Eating lightly 5 days a month is extremely unlikely to be difficult or problematic for most adults; it's quite a stretch to describe this as a 'low calorie lifestyle'. Page 27 gives a clear breakdown of the macronutrient ratios employed, so this is easy to DIY if you have a scale and look up the caloric values of proteins, fats, and a carbohydrates; there's no need for (or claim that) special products must be used (although I'm certain some pople would appreciate the convenience of something of that sort, if it becomes available). If you step back, and look at this as involving food as such, this kind of eating pattern also offers a great opportunity to amplify flavour in small portions of food, and really appreciate it in a way that only happens when you're truly hungry.
  12. For me, most alcohol proved rather disappointing, although I always liked it in things such as sweets. The lovely colours, especially seen with light coming through, made it seem like it would have to surpass all the usual things I drank (with the possible exception of orzata), and essentially be the manifestation of a whole new, higher level of flavour. When I finally tried it, it was such a let-down, sour/bitter, and burning or stinging. The whole experience was a lot like Denis's discovery of what 'carminative' actually means. I persisted, because at some level, I continued to believe what I had in the first place/I'm freakishly optimistic about the strangest things, and eventually found a few iterations that approximated my expectations: some liqueurs, boal madeira (I still haven't tried Chartreuse, because I so want to believe it is amazing). But I still like alcohol best as asupporting ingredient in something essentially non-alcoholic.
  13. Definitely. Before the verdict of a comprehensive starch intolerance was reached, and after a crushingly disappointing rice flour loaf that looked and smelled gorgeous, but turned to library paste when chewed, I eagerly tried every alternative flour/powdered starch that crossed my path. Surprisingly (?), for 'breadiness', various flatbreads and crackers seemed far more satisfactory than loaves. None of the wheat/grain-free recipes I tried was particularly satisfactory, and I was happier with the results I got form tweaking standard recipes. When making these, in addition to using my 'flour of the moment' instead of wheat flour, I generally replaced all, or nearly all the liquid in the standard recipe with egg white. Slack doughs and batters definitely gave better results than firm doughs.
  14. How do you feel about clafoutis? I've made these replacing the wheat flour with buckwheat/rice flour (also, rice starch; essentially, whatever non-wheat flour was lurking in the flour drawer, I know buckwheat is off the table for you), and the results have always been surprisingly like a traditional version, possibly because the amount of egg is what provides the structure. I've made this with the usual fruit, and (since my boyfriend loathes cooked fruit) also versions with chocolate pieces/various kinds of dried fruit.
  15. Certainly! http://noblepig.com/2009/12/guinness-stout-ginger-cake/ (and, in case you're curious, I believe that the recipe in the Oregonian from which she says she adapted this is http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/dessert-recipes/ginger_barleywine_cake.html) A few notes: I prefer to weigh my flour, and for this recipe, I use 283g; the recipe does not include salt, but is much better with the addition of 1/2 teaspoon of salt; where it says to use a large saucepan for the stout+molasses mixture, make sure it is really large, err on the side of 'too big', since this stuff foams up lik mad when you add the baking soda (I transfer the mixture to a huge metal bowl, then add the baking soda, since the only pot large nough in our kitchen is a colossal stock pot).
  16. Guinness Stout Ginger Cake: It goes fast.
  17. Cooking Issues addressed the question of killing lobsters humanely and to optimize their flavour, in 'How to become a Seafood Anesthesiologist and Kill your 4th of July Lobster'.
  18. Guinness Stout Ginger Cake. Looks unimpressive, but is full of complex flavour, and has a lovely texture. The step that requires the use of a large saucepan should say 'huge'; the stout mixture really foams up a lot. Planning on making this in a week or so.
  19. I've made most of the basic cakes in The Best Recipe, using just a hand mixer/various stirring gadgets (when I've been visiting friends with very minimally equipped kitchens). The results have routinely been good to exceptional, and I like to experiment with flavours, so at one point or another, I've added more or less anything you can think of (sometimes in significant quantities) to these things. I make the devil's food cake most often (pretty much everyone I know wants it for their birthday), and at least once made it using just a standard fork and tablespoon. Keep in mind that creaming, then whipping a butter sugar+mixture gets old fast (you'll probably want a lower working surface than usual), so a recipe like a hot milk cake may be the way to go: it uses melted butter (or a chiffon cake, which uses oil). ETA There's a decent chance of finding this book on sale/at a library, but PM if that doesn't work out, and you want a recipe.
  20. I have my doubts, given the responses, but fair enough, I sounded like an ass. I can see the reason for the focus on Guy Fieri, though: of all the repulsive personalities mentioned, his public persona (I'm differentiating this from the way he may actually be in private) is easily the most actively, even aggressively offputting (and it may be deliberate).
  21. Sooo... no one even skimmed halfway down the article to where the author states, very plainly? Yet, despite being a grown man with a penchant for Billabong clothing, Guy shouldn’t incur all the blame. The real fault should be assigned to the people who gave this madman a platform from which to spout his nutso rants. (bold, mine)
  22. Hey all, as you have (I hope) noticed, the OP chose to post this discussion in the Cooking forum, so the focus needs to remain on actual cooking, rather than the medical issues underlying the reasons for reformulating recipes. Although brief, explanatory comments related to the health and science behind various decisions are fine, extended explorations of them will not remain in this discussion (also, please go to the moderation topic, for any discussion of this post).
  23. Mjx

    Onion Sugar

    I'm not at home, so I can't check MC, but I can't think of how you could melt dry[ish] sugar at a temperature that's low enough to do that without browning. I wouldn't go with really high heat, myself, because you get so little wiggle room in terms of being able to stop at the precise point you want to reach. Once the sugar and water mixture reaches the temperature you want, you don't need to boil off any water: you just start working with it (in this case, pour it out in a sheet, I guess, so you can grind it).
  24. Mjx

    Onion Sugar

    Could you simply use a recipe for hard candy/boiled sweets, substituting part of the water with onion juice? When using some mixture of sugar+glucose syrup+water, as long as I've kept an eye on the thermometer, I've never had any problem with the mixture browning before it reaches the hard crack stage (300–310° F° /148–154° C). I know that onion juice has some sugar of its own, but I don't think it should increase the browning significantly (although there may also be enzymes in there that factor into browning)
  25. Mjx

    Tomato & Bread Salad

    Since you're using bread that has no salt, you may be better satisfied with a Tuscan recipe (traditionally, Tuscan bread is unsalted, although most savoury things are unusually salty). Or, panzanella may just not be your thing: damp bread is kind of an acquired taste. If you're feeling adventurous, try a search for [panzanella toscana ricetta]. Because the vocabulary is so limited, recipes are easy to figure out, even if you don't know the language they're written in. Translation of a pretty standard-looking recipe (from teladoiofirenze), described as serving 4: 200 g stale bread (the bread specified is [Tuscan] 'pane casalingo', which is unsalted, and also high in gluten, if I'm not mistaken–at any rate, it does not easily disintegrate when wet–sliced, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, squeezed dry, crumbled, and placed in a tureen (a bowl is fine) To this you add, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 red onion and 1 cucumber (peeled and sliced) Dress the works with oil and salt, mix well, and refrigerate. When you serve the panzanella, add a little vinegar, and garnish with some fresh basil. If you're in a video-watching mood, here's a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44KzOto90DI
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