Annie_H

The past 6-7 years we try new things in the winter months---January-March. Noodle bowls, ramen, etc. Some meatless meals. but lots of seafood. Can't imagine being Vegan like some of my family members. We have let the freezer go thin, then the past few days stuffed it. Walden Local yesterday and WildFork this morning delivery. Really nice sirloin, cast iron sear. Blanched lacinato kale. Chunky potatoes with a purple sweet potato. No dairy, butter, cream. Just garlic chips/shallots. *my visiting BIL would add a stick of butter to the potatoes and cream, then cream the greens, then half a stick of butter basting the steak. Not necessary. Such a nice meal fat free.

I have a similar list of ingredients and care about organic and what is in it. Organic unseasoned rice wine vinegar. AC vinegar with the 'mother'. I don't use alot of fish sauce so I have RedBoat. Things I use often like red wine vinegar I have basic and high end. No different than tinned tomatoes--DiNapoli and a lesser quality for something heavily seasoned like chili. We only use 4 oils--Extra virgin, avocado, sesame, and usually have a evoo of higher quality from Italy or Greece. When I moved to NYC from Italy in '86, just a backpack and first apartment with a futon on the floor and nothing to cook with but pots from thrift stores. We ate out all the time, then mastered a few things at home. Pasta was easy. A simple roasted chicken Sunday dinner. Then after a love of fresh spring rolls I mastered that. 6-7 years ago after glancing through the Momofuku book, I bought a copy and worked on a good ramen bowl. Winter months after the holidays became new recipe exploring like his BoSaam and broths. Started making my own spice rubs, fermentations.... Momofuku ramen at home Entertaining is Alex trying to up his ramen game. Japanese stock better than mine

We are very happy with WildFork. Our first order just before the holidays. It is a-la-cart. Pick what you want. Not a mystery box or a monthly set-up that needs to be tended---meaning, if you want to skip or postpone a month, you need to pay attention and change the date on their website. I canceled ButcherBox because of that same problem.-- A mystery box and some items were not great. Misfits is a-la-cart and if you don't order, nothing is sent. WildFork has small portions and thick cryovak packaging so no portioning at home. Putting an order together now for the Spring. One of the best racks of lamb we have ever had. Most of the fish selections are 1.5 lbs and in 4 portions. It was a pleasure putting together a fisherman's stew or chowders so quickly. The clams and mussels, though small, were clean and excellent. At that price per pound, I have 3 packs of each in my cart. A sasso chicken, a pork shoulder for BoSaam. Bison burgers. Bones for a master stock. A smoked duck breast for a hot pot. Some reviews are not so positive about communication if something goes wrong. Misfits is no questions asked.

I have also been happier than ever with Misfits. My last order was probably 6 weeks ago. At the moment I have an open cart until tomorrow 3pm. Delivered Friday for the weekend. Reminds me of those that shop TJ's. Always new things to try and favorites no longer offered. They still offer some CypressGrove cheeses and a few new ones. Little 2lb pasture raised chickens---(I ordered two)...and pasture raised bison burgers. I use poblanos in place of the horrid green peppers. I make a roasted Peruvian green sauce similar to an Argentinian chimichurri. I like sun chokes sliced thin as chips. One of many methods. Chunked coarse and roasted with other vegetables... +I've heard about digestive issues but fortunately we don't have that. I photo my local farm meat shares so I can look on my screen to see what is in the freezer. This mornings delivery--after canceling for four months. We have not had a steak in months. January through April, the cold months, we make soups and noodle bowls---plant based, steamed, roasted, blanched--Looking forward to a steak tomorrow, 😁--half portion we will make maybe fajitas, tacos, or a salad bowl.

Jasmine rice does not sound right to me. but I've not tried it or ever will. I make extra risotto and make arancini the next day after the fridge time firms it up. (similar to next day grits for griddled polenta). One and one half cups of risotto rice makes 4 small first course servings or two main servings with enough left over for 6 large or a dozen mini arancini. Often extra for a flat pack for. the freezer. Not any more work than meatballs. I use my medium or large cookie scoops. I oven roast mine. Essex market AraciniBros for filling ideas. I like a mini cube of mozzarella and peas for large ones and usually just plain for minis. Risotto is always rich wild mushroom to begin with.

No, not water. It is commercial sanitizer he brought home from his restaurant. Someone asked in the comment section and he responded. (I would not make that up). And it was not changed during the cooking session. The tools are in the exact same position the entire time. Eater and BonAppetite have well produced follow-the-chef shows in high end restaurants. I always see a container of tasting spoons, spoon ends up and a container next to it for used ones--spoon ends down. Stations separate for produce and proteins. My kitchen is small but with a very efficient tight cooking triangle. Main prep next to the stovetop is produce only. Spin, next to the sink, is prep #2 for proteins with a separate designated cutting board. We are slobs everywhere else but with a small kitchen we are 'team clean' about countertops and sink. The floor can wait.

No, not a film set. That would be too expensive. A few dozen, maybe more, on-line y-tube chefs, did start home content when lock-down happened. Pre-vaccination. No patience to watch many but some were good. Jacque Pepin's daughter has kept him active after his wife passed. He did a basic cooking 101 I sent to friends/co-workers just learning. In his own kitchen. That is Rick Bayless home kitchen he has had for 25 years. RickBayless home kitchen Nice kitchen set-up and works for him. I was just curious about the 'dirty water' vessel. I've been in many high end kitchens and worked in restaurants since I was 15 through university. Mostly wait staff. Just have not seen a vessel of commercial grade sanitizer at home or commercial. Rinse it, wipe it on a damp cloth. I. think it is bleach based but dilute. No biggy. Nobody seems to care.

I totally get the commercial use of hot water containers at the back of a flat top. I sometimes use a simmering sauce pan, back burner, when making soups or stews that need stirring or stocks. Usually a sauce pan that steamed eggs or cooked potatoes or blanched something. But this baffles me. Maybe someone can enlighten me. I like RickBayless fine enough. A good teacher for maybe a younger following. I was unaware that he also, like so many, started a home cooking channel during lockdown. A fellow designer sent me this video a few months ago. We were discussing the ceiling lamps behind him with the sound off. (looks like LouisPoulsen) but commercial. Maybe inspired by. Anywho, if interested, zip to minute 26. He has a container 'spoon rest' that he dips in and out for the whole hour. He earlier cleaned shrimp, canned tomatoes, chipotles, has two soups on the stove, using box stocks. Stirring dipping, stirring again and again. It is a commercial sanitizer in the container he brought home from his restaurant. I'm guessing like what is used behind a bar for glassware---spinning brushes, then a rinse in a second sink of fresh water, then onto a drying rack. Or dried with a clean towel if needed right away. Chipotles are oily so lots of the soup stirring ingredients will rise to the top of the sanitizer liquid. I realize it is food grade and won't kill you but seems an odd thing to do. At minute 26 he is making a small blender dressing and grabs a silicone spatula dripping with the sanitizer to push down the ingredients. I could see in a commercial kitchen to have a sanitizer handy for counters, near the sink even, after a quick clean of a knife, dip in sanitizer, then wipe off. RB seafood soup and creamy garlic dressing

I do soak beans in a 4 quart pyrex that sits by the back burner while they simmer for the foam skimmer and/or to collect misc tongs/spoons. Then goes in the sink to soak all the cooking utensil crap. But making something so simple like a creole remoulade that uses 4-5 teaspoons, Or various dressings. I need them to sit flat and not touching. Mayo/yogurt, mustard, chipotle, chili crisp, horseradish, and a dry one for spices. A few tasting spoons. I don't use recipes so I always need to adjust adding a bit more of this or that. This worked for a while as a test. Useless as pot holders--too stiff. The baby sheet pans are handy and came in a set of two. Small enough I often use them side-by-side. One for compost scraps. Sauté spoons, tong rest.

I've been happy with the Thermoworks silicone trivets. I purchased 4 last year when the were two for one sale. Gifted one, then bought four more recently when they had another sale. Two stacked on both sides of the stove top. One on the breakfast table and another lives on the dining table as trivets. One on my desktop for beverages. (Ikea corks are looking shabby). Thermoworks does have 9x12 rectangles but too big for my main prep zone. The far left in the pic are my stainless spoon rests that I never really embraced. A stack of three. Hate is a strong word but I did hate them. The far end of my kitchen run beyond the stove to the right is the morning coffee prep and the fermentation station and spice blend projects. Triple duty silicone Thermoworks trivets are a a stubborn jar opener and pot holders. Always one or two in the dishwasher. My kitchen is tight but we have a great kitchen zone triangle. Prep zones and kitchens vary but this works for us. B+. I like the industrial circle design but square might be better ...they do come out of the dishwasher very wet. They hold water and need to be shaken in the sink and hung to air dry. The only minus.

I always weigh my pasta now. I used to eye-ball a half pound but it has been way too much---even left-over lunches and next night frittata/lasagna-ish bake is too much carbs in a row. 1/3rd pound still gives a light lunch or two next day. Or an easy quick baked dinner--eggs and vegetables/cheeses. I use just enough water needed for pasta. Then drain in the sink in a colander over a small bowl in case I need some starchy water. If I need that pot of water for some blanching, I'll use tongs into the sauté pan depending on the dish. We don't have water supply issues in NY but many across the country have to be very careful. Pasta and bean water can be used for stocks and soups. Our beach home has a rare hand dug well in the basement and a modern dug well but both can run dry if we have too many house guests. Our shower head is a bird bath mister, lol. My sister showers twice a day and needs a fresh towel every time. Tough titty princess. For long pastas like spaghetti and linguini I caught Ina swirling the handful in the hot boiling water to let it soften before releasing into the water after a minute. Good tip I guess.

Odd FreshDirect experience this past weekend. Early Saturday 8am. Two bags. One with tp and Kleenex. The other with a small box of good cheeses, a bag of potatoes, wild gulf shrimp and decent cherry tomatoes. Two bags missing. Half our order. Leeks, beets, cucumbers, greens, 3 containers of miso, red cabbage, greens onions, Rao's sauce, etc. DH pulled the two bags in and said, "surprised the order is so light". Duh. If we had shoes on and pants we could have caught the truck out front. Immediately contacted them thinking the vegetables were still on the truck being not far away. Seemed reasonable. Trying to solve the mystery. Catching the driver being not too far away. Nope.

Our top ten most memorable meals are not in any particular order but LeBernadin I might put on top. Consistently fantastic and not too fussy with tweezers. I can't think of a similar seafood forward meal I like better. Bottom ten are due to a lazy kitchen and/or bad service. Usually Italian like Babo. Bar service is a great way to stop in without reservations and get a good light meal. Unfortunately our brunch/lunch or nights out are Sundays when everyone else has the same idea....but I'm just as happy with a good taco or slice if wait time is unbearable. Like most NewYorkers of a certain age, we would rather eat glass than wait in a line for anything...always something good around the corner.

Yeah, some of these hipster cocktail concoctions give me a head shake. Like some of the barista inventions. Starbuck colabs with celebrities, lol. Not that I am a stiff purist but do like simple preparations but open to many other flavor combinations except for pumpkin spice and greens bell peppers and ketchup. For years a close friend would come over in advance of a Sat or Sunday dinner out and ask always, "is that todays coffee?' --in the pot. Always over ice. I'm a tea drinker after morning black coffee. Rarely ice coffee. A dozen years ago I had no interest in the cold brew insurrection. Especially the commercial brews. Ignored it until Grady's, a local NYC brand. Cold brew, if done right, is just another extraction---no different than how we all like our own coffee brewing methods. We found ours a half done years ago and share it but don't preach it. Work has had Grady's by the case for 5-6 years and it is free. During lock down I purchased a cold brew filter. It does more that coffee extractions. Loose teas with grated ginger, add cracked cocoa nibs to the coffee for an amazing ice cream. I make ice cream only once, twice a year. Green tea, ginger, coconut milk, and another--coffee, cocoa nibs, cream. Mini ice cream sandwiches for summer bbq's. Lock-down I purchased a ball jar filter. Missing my work day afternoon Grady's cold brew. Like I mentioned, it does many handy extrusions and no counter/cabinet space like the one-off brewers. 21,000 positive reviews. I only purchased the filter for a quart. I have ball jars using them for RG beans. A few dozen. (the OXO 'kit' has good reviews, then troubles with clogging and a cute glass vessel that if breaks, oy.) My Friday morning system. Same 37 grams as my Chemex pour-over. Warm, not hot, water from the cooling-off kettle. All day on the back counter. Fridge overnight and pull the filter Saturday morning. Weekend cold brew coffee. This morning... (for years I would chill a half pint ball jar from my morning drip coffee maker but so-so for iced coffee) Stupid lid ordered by mistake? Sent the wrong lid---ugly 'little boy blue' color sent by mistake. No need for any gear to find your best summer brew.

That is too bad. I would cancel also if I had such trouble. Such a different shopping experience here. Two weeks ago today I received a Misfits delivery. It would normally be FreshDirect in rotation every two weeks. But early in that weed I did a direct cost/cross comparison with FreshDirect. 35 vegetable items, many bags and same farm/brands like CalOrganic. A dozen pantry items and a dozen items in a cold pack. Across the board 75cents to three dollars cheaper than FreshDirect or WholeFoods. 75+dollars cheaper overall. I do like FD being a full grocery with paper needs and toothpaste, etc. FD also has a local farm share box on sale at the moment so I like supporting that. I do care about organic since I juice and make green smoothie shots. Double celery, tripple carrots, triple lacinate kale, big bag of golden beets and ginger. Still cheaper by 25-50 cents over the non-organic. But we are 75-80% plant based diet. Raw, steamed, roasted. 2-3 meals a week are meatless but no way in hell vegan or vegetarian. We have no close friends vegan, just some family members. I stumbled across a tick-toc (thank goodness they are short)...a TJ's shopper doing his weekly shopping. I thought it was a 'what's new' dealio. Nope, just wheeling through the downtown location in the converted underground parking garage. He spent 140$ and walked out comfortably with two brown paper grocery bags. (on foot NYC shopping needs to be a simple 'carry'). I spent 158$ Misfits including shipping--same 7.99 for two boxes I could not lift being so heavy. I had to transfer into 4 of the big blue Ikea bags. DH tripped and face planted two weeks ago in the last snow storm and just gradually getting better every day--lower back pain. I have been doing all the household needs and care-giver. All the heavy lifting---garbage, recycling, cooking, laundry, etc. I would pay much more for the conveniences of delivery but it is just not so. A nightmare to add to my list a Saturday or Sunday 3-4 shopping stops to get what I can get from delivery. Amazing variation in my crisper drawer and pantry without the time suck from shopping in person.

FYI for FreshDirect customers---Rao's is 2 for 13$, My favorite winter tomatoes, the kumato, are 2 for 7$. We had Rao's for the first time during lockdown. Good pantry item to have on hand.

We had a late brunch/early dinner Sunday. A hometown scrapple. DelMarVa peninsula. A houseguest from Baltimore did back-flips when he woke--so happy...his girlfriend from Alabama had to leave the building gagging. My parents always considered it junk food. Really just polenta/paté. (as a young one we had to use our babysitter/lawn mowing money to purchase). Or a birthday treat. 50/50 divided who likes it. DH grew up in the PNWest. Loves it. *Pork stock, pork livers, pork fat, pork snouts, corn meal, pork hearts, wheat four, salt, spices. 1924 this company began. Creamy like a paté and gets a pan seared crispy exterior. Not at all salty, lots of sage. Nothing like Italian American pork sausages so often full of scrap fat chunks and way too salty.

Pizza last night. Good artichokes from Misfits. First choice would be TJ's frozen, --but never in stock these days. Second choice is the #10 can from Baldor, a local restaurant supply I purchased during covid lock-down. The same ones Mark Lacona uses at Locali. Baldor is no longer residential friendly. Jars are ok but often swimming in cheap oil. And often have tough outer leaves. DH used to buy the big jars from Costco but I didn't care for them. This brand from recent Misfits are in a brine and tender. Good price at 3.39 but I think still worth it at retail 4.99. For a pantry item. I took a chance before a game day pizza party last week. I have a few extra pantry jars as DH snakes on them. Cheaper than the cheap-oil slick Costco ones.

The diagram is from the Business Insider video I posted a link up thread a few. Documentary/How it's Made type deal. Fresh Direct has one large distribution center in the Bronx. No retail stores like the right hand column. That represents groceries like Wegman's, Food Lion, etc. With multiple retail groceries with a high overhead and lots of food waste. Lots of trucking and re-packaging with multiple stops. Basically more days from farm to grocery to home. More time at less than optimal temps. Misfits uses a similar business model. No retail groceries. Straight from farm to distribution centers. Boxes are built straight from the farm crates. In a cold climate regulated warehouse. No time spent re-packaging, re-shipping, sorting, then dropped off to back dock retail groceries. Then stocked on shelves. Why I mentioned my Misfits produce is is in my crisper drawer even before a traditional grocery gets their produce to the back dock. My last Misfits delivery was Friday Feb 27th. I've been pulling from this cilantro bunch all last week and this past weekend for lamb Kofta and a batch of humus. Still looked good this morning 11 days later. Good for tacos tomorrow. Unheard of when DH did the small shopping list before the weekends pre-covid, pre-Misfits. "Cilantro did not look so good. No fennel. Kale ok. yada". Why so many have to hit a few groceries to fulfill a list. No way would he do that at 7pm on a Thursday or Friday. Hard to plan a weekend of meals.

I checked my order history from Misfits. January 2nd and jan 27th, a week ago today. Every three weeks-ish. Two boxes. Shipping charge is both boxes. I do cross check prices and it is still much cheaper than any local market and fresh. A dozen Nellie brand eggs are 2.59. Pete and Gerrys, 3.79. Locally they are more than twice that $. My 'Every day' Colavita red wine vinegar was more than 1/2 off. No front label but the product is the same. ('Colavita' is stamped in the glass). DH stopped for eggs early last week and just the inferior commercial brands were 7 and 8$. Everything across the board are 50cents to 3-4$ for higher priced items less than local groceries. My typical Misfit orders this time of year seem to be consistently a dozen pantry staples and 18-20 vegetable items. So, thirty items is easily 30$ less than a grocery. With 'perk points' I added ChosenFoods avocado oil and a good Spanish EVOlive oil. 24$ free. Distribution centers are the future. Produce in my crisper days before it hits grocery shelves. Groceries are designed for the consumer. Produce at wrong temperatures. Years past I always purchased produce in person. DH always frustrated shopping the 12 and under item list Thursdays or Friday nights for the weekend. "get a good green that looks good". Often none. With Misfits I have cilantro, rainbow chard, lacinato kale, fennel, zucchini/yellow squash, Brussels, cabbage, leeks, celery, green onions, red and yellow onions, avocados, Persian cucumbers, golden beets, baby and russet potatoes...arugula, crispy romaine, a nice head of radicchio, and celeriac root. Every other order I get a cold pack. Butter, eggs, cheeses, prosciutto, lamb. And just noticed a package of lamb tamales made with a breed that does not produce wool so less lanolin and different flavor. (who knew?) Production lines have human error issues all the time. Labels missing. expiration dates not visible....like the pasta that had two different shapes in one box. (same cooking time) I'm making humus tonight. A week old bunch of cilantro?. really?. As fresh as a daisy from Misfits. So sad years past picking out that slimy brown shit. Avocados sent east coast nasty. I stopped buying them but Misfits are firm and ripen over two/three weeks.

I should mention, for those that order FreshDirect, the farm boxes have been a good value. Winter root crops last a long time. The Hepworth box was so heavy I did weigh it. 22pounds plus some herbs and juice. A dollar a pound for any produce is a good price. They must have bee scrambling with the eminent storm approaching. LancasterFarms I ordered for Thanksgiving. Both are mystery boxes. 6 green bell peppers that we don't care for but I made good use of them with sausage and onions caramelized. Took most of the Hepworth box on our trip. The only way to please my family is to have lots of variety. Pretty pink potatoes.

I ordered for the first over for the holidays. No mistakes. As described. Good information on each item. Tuna and swordfish steaks, cod fillets cryovak'd in small portions, 4 per pound bags. Clams and mussels are flat packed so they heat/steam quickly. Squid a perfect amount and small size for an ingredient in a seafood salad. Heritage bone-in ham for NewYearsDay, big salmon fillet and frenched rack of pork for Christmas, (dad wanted salmon) Took advantage of the free shipping for a year. A bit annoying fine print though. Some states did not apply, etc. I had both WildFork and Misfits sent directly south. Just needed to pick up a dozen bagels. Just stopped at a farm stand for a crate of collards and kale and an excellent fish monger in my hometown for oysters (5.50 a dozen), shrimp and crab. They live in a food desert so nice to not need to grocery shop. We had to scramble and leave two days early because of the storm. Years past I would shop UnionSquareMarket and a number of other groceries and pack two big coolers. 7 instead of 11 X-mas eve, 9 instead of 13 X-mas day. (brother and family of four had their flights canceled and never re-scheduled) Both WildFork and Misfits are a-la-cart. No mysteries. Order what you want/need. Most I've ever ordered from Misfits. 3 big boxes. A cold box, a veg box, and a snack/pantry box. First time no mistakes with extra romaine. Smaller packages are best for just the two of us. For a crowd, often unknown head count, just take out what is needed. Thaws quickly in cold water.

Odd that spaghettoni, thick spaghetti, is not easily found. Not in Eatily, Supermarket Italia, iGourmet...I stopped looking when I found it on Amazon. Long cooking time. 15 minutes. 17.6 ounces. One package is 3 meals, 6 servings. We still have a bit of leftover. But a nice lunch with half avocado, ramen egg, olives, artichoke heart, parm....

I've been making this for years for Passover neighbors. It is tender with a caramel layer. I'm not a baker but this is fool-proof. Addicting and so simple. Toffee Matzo Brittle I make two trays and add pecans, toasted coconut, everything bagel with Korean chili flake, --in 1/3'rd sections. One addition I do is to add the chocolate chips and place back in the hot oven for 30 seconds to melt a bit better. Can add or leave out nuts or chocolate. The caramel is as tender as a saltine. And can be used in place of Matzo.

Great inspiration video of one of my favorite falafel spots in NYC, Mamoun's falafel blue dolphins recipe above is very similar to the one I printed out. I keep a folder of hard copies where I can scribble notes and changes. I usually find that 3-4 recipes in combination fit our style of cooking using this-and-that and not needing to shop for ingredients---use what we have. They do freeze great. The whole point was to make mini falafel for a veg/gluten-free app for the holidays. I had the minis on a sheet pan in the freezer but they were so good I took them out and we had them again the next night with mini Jumeokbap-(furikaki sticky rice balls) I used rice flour, tBsp of chia seed instead of any egg. More onion and minced green onion. Along with parsley I used chopped fresh cilantro stems from a big bunch. Triple the spices. Mine are whole spice so I toast them, then spice grind. No memory of ever using a 1/4 tsp of any spice. Did not find this over spiced at all. The recipe I printed, falafel Take the best from both recipes. Lemon zest, check. I'm using lots of lemon in my humus anyway. I like to make anything in a savory cake like fish/crab cakes or batter form to rest in the fridge to meld/mingle/bloom for at least a few hours or overnight. Made night before or morning. Anywho, when I need to be efficient, using the cuisinart quickly without cleaning between tasks--falafel, then humus, then a cucumber sauce, then a dressing...I did, the next day, put the somewhat grainy humus in the speed blender to puree. Added greek yogurt and another chopped cucumber to the salad topping.