Ericpo

Yum. Flank steak and Flatiron steaks are fast becoming my new favorites...SO much beefy flavor!

lol. Thank you much sir. I will check around online...just seems rather odd to order cheese of all things online! Also, by the end of the summer, I plan on moving to the Seattle area...I'm pretty ecxited about the new culinary opportunities. Was thinking more about fresh readily available seafood but cheese also super exciting!

Different breeds of cow and different areas. Normandy (Camembert) is further West, has more rain & thus richer pastures. Isle de France (Brie) is around Paris & thus somewhat drier. Also, the fact that Brie is made in large rounds whereas Camembert is made in small ones changes their flavour since in Camembert the mould can reach all the way to the centre of the round. To be at their best both cheeses must be made from unpasteurised milk. This makes it difficult at times to get the real thing in the states. With Brie you want to get a Brie de Meaux or a Brie de Melun if at all possible. With Camembert you need to try and find a Camembert de Normandy. In both cases these designations require that the cheese be made with unpasteurised milk.These are without question the two best varieties. The 'industrial' varieties are hardly worth bothering with. I greatly envy you sir. I do take some issue with your last sentence however, "the 'industrial' varieties are hardly worth bothering with. I am a cheese novice, as I will freely admit. I live in a rural town in western North Dakota, U.S. I appreciate good food, and cheese is of course one of the great culinary inventions...ever. Where I live, I cannot reasonably expect to find fine cheeses, beyond that which the local grocery stores choose to stock. This has inhibited my knowledge and experience of cheese, but it has by no means killed it. One of my favorite meals is a nice room temperature Brie(President brand and industrial as anything), and a nice loaf of whole grain bread. Perhaps some olives and seasonal fruits as accompaniment. I wish I lived somewhere that my cheese oddysey would be easier...but I don't. So my question now is this: What is a good classic "Cheese Plate"? I usually just get whatever sounds good at the time, but I'm sure that there is much more science and forethought to this. The more information you all feel inclined to share with me the better, as I will likely have to make substitutions along the way. One last note, this is intended for a party where the cheese course will be the only course. Suggestions on wine/olive and fruit parings would also be appreciated. Also good savory meats although I despair of finding anything palatable. Now if you will excuse me, I have half a small wheel of brie that should be room temp by now...numnumnumnum....

Wow, that is pretty interesting. This guy seems to be on top of things, although some of it reads slightly manic. I guess I am of two minds about this. On the one side, I abhor the idea that food would become something that you consume with no more though or appreciation than a powdered protein supplement. Food is a huge part of my life, the preparation, culture, and enjoyment of same. However...How many times in the past week have I wished for more time? I think everybody does. The author makes a very good point that preparing, eating, and cleaning up takes a lot of time. Also, a meal that saves me time is generally exactly what he says: Expensive and Unhealthy. On the whole, and provided proper studies/quality control, I think I can get behind this idea. It would never ever replace food for me completely, but if I could aquire a supply fitted to my dietary needs, I would do so. I think I would actually enjoy cooking and preparing 'real' food more if I had the leisure to do so only when I desired. I don't want at this time to consider the wide reaching sociological and geosocial ramifications. From where I sit, right now, it sounds pretty neat. (having no time for dinner and settling for some popcorn from the theatre no doubt has influenced me )

Red Quinoa My wonderful little sister scoured the markets in search of things she knew I have not cooked with much. I have literally a whole shelf of things I'm not really sure what to do with, but for a start any good recipes for Red Quinoa? My tastes generally run more to good meats and the grains are a side note at best, so I have hardly cooked even with regular quinoa. Help?

Ok, my grill has been stuck at a friends house for a month, but no more. Tomorrow I am bringing it home...he can go buy his own lol! Soon as I get a chance I'm gonna grill up some steaks, maybe corn on the cob, and hopefully that romaine salad I discussed. Then get some pics!!! Or maybe burgers. And as long as I have the grill going I might smoke up some tuna for sandwichs. They go great in a lunch pail;) All I know is if I don't get some charred flesh hot off the grill soon I'll go spare!

HAAA! Spot on;)

Well at the intense risk of garnering scorn I will share what I'm drinking this evening. It is by no means a classy cocktail like the previously discussed, but for me, right now, it is perfect! I had a very long, tiring day outside. I'm grungy, tired, and I sure don't smell like a basket of roses. So I wanted something cold. Root Beer Barrel: Pour into a frosted Pilsner glass 16 oz very cold light beer(Coors for me) Add one shot of quality rootbeer schnapps(I like DeKuypers) Not exactly classy but yum it's sure hitting the spot! Can't think of anything better at this moment.

YES! a smoked tuna salad sandwich! Have them ready in half an hour I'm eating at your place tonight ttogull!

I think that this is where a large part of the argument is originating. Location location location. And not only location, but also age, group, etc. With such a wide dispersal of English speaking peoples, there is no way that exact meanings of evolving terms will transfer across the board. If a literal meaning has trouble staying constant in such a dynamic linguistic environment, so much the harder for conotations to translate well. Within my group and milieu, Foodie is more than accurate enough. Gormet, as somebody mentioned, is too often confused with Gourmand, so I avoid using it as a personal adjective. I think that as long as I understand my meaning, and those I communicate with do likewise, who cares what term is used? If there is any misunderstanding then a more in depth conversation may be needed. So my stance has not changed, although I do feel enlightened(for the most part ) by this discussion. If I ever commit some unforgivable culinary faux-pas by calling someone a Foodie then at least I will not do so from ignorance! lol

Wow. I suppose I am probably in the minority here, but I have never ever heard "foodie" used as a negative or pejorative term. Maybe it has to do more with my location(midwest US), but in my circles, foodie simply means one who enjoys and appreciates good food. They can be a cook, but it's not a neccessity. Labels are IMO perfectly fine. They let us clean up our conversation and facilitate speedier communication. If I had to say, "one who enjoys and appreciates good food" everytime I wanted to refer to a fellow foodie, I would go nuts! Labels are not the problem, it is how they are used that makes the difference. Also, while I may understand PC terms, anybody not involved in the foodie scene most likely won't. So when I start rhapsodizing about the joys of a properly made Mousse, and my pride at having made it...I can say to the uninterested party, "Please forgive me. I am a hopeless Foodie." It is a label that I will keep using, to describe both myself and others. If listening parties do not recognize it as the badge of honor that it is, then it is their loss.

Thanks for the chicken recipe, I'll be sure to try it when I get the chance...Lotta prep I notice. Sounds amazing though! This is one of my proudest creations. I will warn you they are not the easiest things in the world to make, but I have never-and I mean NEVER-had someone not like them. As you will see, they are not health food. Ok, for 'my' Juicy Lucy, the original Bacon Cheddar you need: 2.5 lbs good quality fresh ground beef, 85/15 lean/fat. 8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, sliced 1 lb Thick Cut Bacon, cooked(very crispy) and crumbled 1 egg 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce 2-3 TBSP minced Garlic(the kind out of a jar). Fresh black pepper and salt to taste. Makes 5 Have standing ready the sliced cheese and crumbled bacon. In a mixing bowl, combine beef, egg, garlic, black pepper, and worcestershire sauce. With the garlic, add some water from the jar with each spoonful. Using your hands, mix together until completely combined. Divide in half. Using one half of beef, make 5 (1/4 lb) patties, making them wide and thin. Place these on a platter. Onto each patty, place cheese and bacon crumbles, being careful to keep them about 1/2 an inch in from the edge. Using the other half of the beef mixture, make 5 additional patties and place them on top of the bacon and cheddar. Pick each up and pinch the edges together, completely sealing in the bacon and cheese(this is crucial). Salt and pepper patties. At this stage, the burgers can go directly on to the grill, but I find they benefit from a few hours in the fridge. Also, I will often make a whole batch, and freeze raw the ones I don't need right away. To the grill: Oil cooking grate. Over high direct heat, grill burgers. Try to not flip more than once, as they are delicate. I usually like to grill them to medium, and then remove from the flame and tent with foil for 5 minutes, they carryover cook this way. While grilling, keep an eye out for melting cheese running out...this happens if the edges are not sufficiently sealed. The first time you make these, you will almost certainly have some burgers that lose their cheese...it takes some practice. To make a somewhat healthier and easier version, omit the bacon. Good luck! Now that's what I am talking about. That is exactly what springtime grilling is all about. burnt fat on the barbie. (never EVER omit the bacon!) ;-) Why thank you terryanny:) And I always slip in the "option" to omit the bacon, for health concerns. In three years I have never done it myself;) The closest I've come is making one or two in a batch bacon free for health conscious dinner guests lol. Vive Bacon!!!

I wouldtend to agree. I have a wooden peel that sounds like the twin of yours, and occasionally the thickness makes it harder to work with. But it looks beautiful hanging on the wall in my kitchen;) If I run across a metal peel I'd consider it seriously. On this same topic, what other things do well on a grill? Pizza and Bread are one good example; what unusual dishes have you all thrown on the grill? One of my favorites is my grilled spaghetti and meatballs. Basically your favorite meatball recipe, then cook them on the grill instead of in the oven. I also like to throw coarsely chopped onions and bell peppers on, and then mix them up with the marinara sauce. Give the whole dish a nice bbq char flavor you wouldn't expect:) Note: I usually do the meatballs and green peppers/onions in a grill basket.

Mmm. Grilled bread is good stuff. I've had lots of luck also doing naan on a pizza stone in my oven. Just have to have it hot as all get out, and a bakers peel helps a lot.

Hmm, well to answer your original question, what is wrong with tea? For me it is usually just not strong enough. I like tea, but I like it strong. I like strong flavors, and too often when I order tea out it is watery. No substance or flavor or CAFFEINE! A well brewed tea is IMO the equal of coffee, but so often they are pale shadows. This has led to me ordering only coffees when dining out, and brewing tea my own self.