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lindag

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Posts posted by lindag

    Road food

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    10 hours ago, kayb said:

    I looked and didn't see an appropriate topic for this post, so I made one. "Road Food," of course, was made famous by Jane and Michael Stern on public radio, but we've all been out on business or pleasure travel and happened up on marvelous food in the most unlikely of places. Here's a place to post same, and I'll start off with my stop this morning.

     

    I had been on a business trip that took me to LA -- that would be Lower Arkansas -- and spent last night in Monticello, in the southeastern quadrant of the state. I commend to you, by the way, the Trotter House BnB there, where they fed me breakfast that would have sufficed for me and a friend.

     

     

    I set out withh a couple of stops planned, but no real schedule, and decided on a whim I wanted tamales to bring home. So I betook myself east and south to Lake Village, in the far southeastern corner, to Rhoda's Famous Hot Tamales and Pies.

     

    And they are, in fact. Famous, that is. At least in the Mid-South, where people might grant you could get good tamales across the Mississippi River in Greenville, MS, but if you want pie, you need to cross the bridge and go to Rhoda's.

     

    I pulled in about 10:30 a.m. Miss Rhoda's daughter, who has taken over most of the cooking duties, was slinging pots and pans in the kitchen, and dishing up cabbage cooked with ham, sweet potatoes and fried chicken for the day's lunch. She stopped to fish me three dozen tamales out of a massive pot on the stove, and pack them in their cooking liquid in a No. 10 can that had probably held that day's sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, her mother, Ms. Rhoda herownself, hollered at me from around the corner, where she and a gentleman friend were tying tamales, three to a bundle, with strips of corn shuck.

     

    "Where you from, baby?" I'm from Jonesboro. "Whooo, that's a long way. You come all the way down here to get some of Rhoda's tamales?" Well, sort of. I was in Monticello on business, and while I was that close, I wasn't going to miss getting tamales to take home. Can't get good tamales in Jonesboro. "Honey, I know dat's right. Y'all got them Meskin tamales up there." (I did not promise this post would be politically correct. Sorry.)

     

    We visited for a few minutes, all the while Ms. Rhoda's gnarled and bent fingers flying as she'd pluck up three tamales, stack them in a pyramid, grab a length of husk, slide it beneath the stack, and cinch it not-too-tight. Tamales went in a pot on the floor. We had gotten through people we both knew up and down the Delta when Ms. Rhoda's daughter called me back to the other side of the room. "Baby, I got yo' tamales." And in fact, she did, foil over the top of the can, the whole things wrapped in a few pages of the Chicot County Advertiser. Forty bucks, and well worth it.

     

     

    "What kind of pie you got today?" I asked hopefully. 

     

    "Lemme look." She pulled open the oven door. "Lessee, I got pecan, chess and egg custard. I got apple and peach. I got coconut cream. Won't be ready for about 15-20 minutes."

     

    Sadly, I didn't think I had 15-20 minutes, nor did I need to bring home an entire pie. Had I had, I would have been faced with the Hobson's choice of chess or pecan or coconut cream.

     

    My tamales, still in the can, are in the fridge. Tomorrow, I'll parcel them out, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze them. Then I'll go to the grocery store and get cans of cheap no-beans canned chili and boxes of Saltine crackers, and be sure I have plenty of cheddar cheese to grate for the top, and we will binge on tamales. And I will wish I had egg custard pie.

    Thanks for this wonderful story, so well told!

    • Like 5

    2017 Kitchen Appliances

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    If you have a low tolerance for nauseating stories read no further...

     

    Dh and scheduled a kitchen remodel and then went on vacation.  Said remodel was supposed to be done by the time we got back.

    We arrived home the evening as scheduled to find the water shut off (because there was a plumbing problem not yet fixed)  and to find the downstairs toilet completely filled up!!!  I'm sure the guys got a really big hoot out of outdoing each other.

    needless to say my DH ripped them a new one the next day.  They did finish after a couple weeks delay and the job was done well but the memory is seared into my brain.

     

    • Confused 1
    • Sad 3

    Kitchen Sink and Faucet

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    10 minutes ago, weinoo said:

    The faucet is going to be a Hangrohe Talis S, for a number of reasons.

     

    Not too high, but high enough. I like it's lines and that it has a toggle spray diverter.

     

    And the sink is a Franke, 10" deep, because we don't have a ton of room to go very wide.

     

    I'm continuously amazed at just how expensive faucets have become.  

    However, at least the better ones now seem to have lifetime guarantees.

    I discovered this when I had issues both with my Moen soap dispenser and with my Blanco kitchen faucet.  In both cases the replacement parts were sent free of charge, no questions asked.  I was impressed.

    • Like 2

    Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 5)

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

    It is sad that this has become the norm, when I have owners manuals for stuff like my American made CrockPot from the '80's that still serves me very well. The little manual not only gives very helpful instructions, but recipes that turn out well.

    How funny!  I think I have the very same little manual tucked away in a bookshelf.  I, too, found those recipes useful and have kept it all this time while most other manuals have long ago been tossed.

    • Like 1

    Lunch! What'd ya have? (2017)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    4 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

    Not technically my lunch, nor today's fare (I hope this is allowed, I am still feeling out some of the subtler nuances of these boards - I did make it!) but a fathers day share lunch sent to work with my other half. Caramel Slice / Millionaires shortbread lurking in the back and leftover roast chicken an vegetables cunningly disguised in pastry and presented as a whole new meal. 

     

    I think you underestimate your skills, those little pies look amazing.

    • Like 2

    Hellman's

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by lindag
    too many ls (log)

    My nearby grocery store is having a big sale on Hellman's mayo.  I have never seen Hellman's this side of the Mississippi!  It's always Best Foods.  What's up?  Anyone know?

    What is your most valuable kitchen appliance?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, andiesenji said:

    I only reheat the coffee in my mug.  I brew each mug individually with fresh ground coffee in either my Senseo or in my Ninja Coffee Bar.  And I reheat it using the low power - takes longer but it does not "boil" the coffee in my mug.  

     

    I use the low-power setting a lot when reheating foods because I have learned that they heat more evenly and one is not surprised with a lava-like temp in one part and stone cold in another.

    Take for instance the dish with rice, meat and beans that I reheated to use as burrito filling along with some fresh salsa.

    It was already in a glass storage dish with the "locking" lid, which I unlocked but left in place.  The volume was about 20 ounces.

    I set the time for 15 minutes on power level 2 - 20%.

    I always check the temp of such foods with my Thermapen and at various spots and depths in the dish, the temp was at 145°F.  Perfect for me.

     

    I have been using a microwave oven since 1968 when we got an Amana RadarRange, so I have had a great deal of experience with them during the past near-50 years.
     

     

    From what I've learned about you on this forum There's no way I would question your skills!

    the mug was only a suggestion.

    BTW, I had the same RadarRange bought in the mid 70s.  

    What is your most valuable kitchen appliance?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by lesliec
    Added eG-friendly Amazon link (log)

    15 hours ago, andiesenji said:

    I had to think about this for awhile.

    I do not consider my knives an "appliance" - they are a tool, a utensil, an extension of my hand.  I don't consider my Thermapen an appliance but it is always in my pocket when I am in the kitchen.

     

    The appliances I use most and is essential because of the way I do things are my microwaves.  

    During the past 48 hours:

    I started a batch of yogurt last evening and heated the milk (actually half & half) to 186°F in the microwave because there is no chance of scorching it and ruining half a gallon of dairy as has happened on the stove top.

    Then heated a quart of heavy cream to 90°F. to make a batch of sour cream. 

    Reheated food that I had cooked the previous day.

    I heated the cream for my coffee and the syrup for my waffles at breakfast.

    I warmed extra-large tortillas so they would be more flexible to wrap burritos.

    I "blanched" a tomato so the skin would slip off easily. 

    I melted a stick of butter to add to a batch of bread.

    I defrosted a frozen chicken that had been in the fridge for two days and was still solid in the center so I couldn't extract the bag with the giblets and neck.

    I softened an 8 oz block of butter that had been in the freezer so I could use some on my waffles. 

    I reheated my tea about three times because I kept forgetting to drink it while it was hot.

    Ditto my morning coffee.

    I "softened" some large raisins (home dried) that were a bit too dry to add to the bread that is currently being processed in the bread machine.

    (tablespoon of water in bottom of a measuring cup - fill with dried out raisins or any other dried fruit - cover tightly with plastic wrap or I use the silicone storage covers that seal tightly - microwave for 20 seconds, allow to sit for ten minutes then test.  If still too hard, repeat.  

     

     

    You need one of these.  Coffee doesn't taste very good re-heated.

    the chickens I get no longer have the innards in bags, they're jut stuffed inside loose.

    you get lots of use out of your m/w!!!

     

    • Like 2

    Weekend trip to Napa Valley

    in California: Dining

    Posted

    14 hours ago, chefmd said:

    We are back in Napa!  Staying the whole week.  They are experiencing a heat wave, current temp is 111.  Yikes.  The rest of the week looks better.  We rented a house in St. Helena, my cousin and her husband will join us for a few weeks.

     

    call me crazy but I had to bring the essentials.  A chefs knife purchased in thrift shop for 25 cents.  I am afraid to check my good knives while flying.  This knife is not bad, I made it razor sharp.  The logo says "Westminster" and made in Japan.  A paring knife, also a thrift store find.  Lodge cast iron skillet.  Spatula, lime press, microplane, thermometer, peeler, measuring cup.

     

    Yes, a lime press is essential for any vacation.  Cocktail time!!!

    • Haha 2

    What is your most valuable kitchen appliance?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    24 minutes ago, nickrey said:

    The following list is in order of everyday usefulness to me. Of course, if I'm catering the order will change depending on what I'm cooking.

     

    fridge/freezer

    gas cooktop

    espresso machine

    toaster

    microwave

    Thermomix

    Chamber vacuum sealer

    Oven

    Sous vide circulator

    Bamix stick blender

    sandwich press

    pasta maker

    Spice grinder

     

    Despite having many gadgets, I don't think I'd ever use a convection toaster oven.

    So I'm intrigued with the Thermomix.  What do you use it for mostly?

    What is your most valuable kitchen appliance?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    My interpretation of that question is 'most used'.  In that case, mine would be the fridge/freezer...so obvious.

    Next would be the microwave because I actually use it for something every single day.

    Coffee maker, every single day as well.

    CSO, nearly every day.

    Range.

    Knives (Japanese edges only), though they're not really appliances.

     

    • Like 1

    Breakfast! 2017 (Part 2)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    47 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

     

     

    Mine is really no better. My popsicle-freezing space had recently been occupied by slow-roasted tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and chicken broth.  I managed to clear enough space but it now requires a very firm touch to close the door and an advanced-level game of Tetris to find anything!

     

    That's such a perfect description!!!  I often get frustrated when trying to find something that I eventually give up and go to the store!  I know it's in there somewhere but cannot find it.  

    • Like 4

    Breakfast! 2017 (Part 2)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, Anna N said:

    So, so jealous.  Still no room in my freezer for such luxuries. 

    Me too...I'm still picking away at mine but it's very slow going.  When it cools down I plan to make more of an effort even if it means throwing out a lot of stuff.

     

    • Like 2

    Bamix Immersion (Stick) Blenders

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by lindag (log)

    I totally agree with Anna, I love my Bamix, it's well-built and powerful and essential in my kitchen. especially for soups and dressings.

    It would be nice to detach the bottom so it could go in the d/w but, again, it's not too big a deal.  It's possible the detachability would affect the overall strength of the blender.

    Mine came with three tips...one for chopping, one for whipping and one for blending.

    I use the first two but mostly just the chopping blade.

    You may want to take a look at the Kitchen Aid model, it does have the detachable bottom and was top rated by CI though now it's been surpassed by a Braun.  I don't believe they included Bamix in their tests.

     

     

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