Jump to content

Hest88

eGullet Society staff emeritus
  • Posts

    1,243
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Hest88

  1. Hest88

    Scallop Roe

    I've got to say this is the saddest thing I've ever heard.
  2. Yes, a description, methinks, would be easier than more subjective terminology for fish such as "med" or "med-rare." Plus, it's also less fussy-sounding than temperatures (will the customer whip out a thermometer? is that the temp when it comes out of the oven or after resting?). I tend to order my salmon "as rare as possible, as close to sashimi as you can get" which tends to get decent results because it's so much on the extreme end of the cooking scale. I could imagine more issues if I tried to get it med or med-rare. Sukie, geez, if I were a customer at that restaurant I'd be seriously P.O.ed! A celebrity chef, I suppose, with an "artiste" reputation, could get away with it, but at any other restaurant...
  3. When I'm cooking large batches of bacon I use the oven, but when I'm cooking smaller ones (6-8 pieces or fewer) I actually use the microwave. I just stack one layer of bacon each between paper towels and microwave until crispy. It usually takes about 6-10 minutes depending on if I'm cooking one or two layers of bacon.
  4. Yes, we've discussed this topic in depth many times before. A search would prove enlightening. However... I've actually used woks even on electric stoves with no wok ring. I just got good at compensating for the teetering. Aside from all the other advantages, for a klutz like me a wok just better ensures I won't flip food out onto the floor!
  5. Heh, well as someone who would prefer eating salad with chopsticks if given her druthers, and who eats many Western foods at home with chopsticks, I'd just have to say that you summed it up when you said it all comes down to what may have grown up using. To get back on topic...so I supposed the summation is that when one is at a high-quality sushi restaurant one should use one's fingers but it probably doesn't matter all that much if you're at a mid-level or lower sushi joint?
  6. By far my favorite is Pu'er. I love the smoky taste and underlying sweetness (at least to my taste buds).
  7. Yep, the BlueStar convection can be turned on and off. In fact, the default is 'off.' Tell your wife. Problem solved!
  8. The broiler is really great and super-powerful. One of my favorite cooking pastimes is turning on the oven light and sitting in front of the oven window watching, delightfully, as it whooshes on. Yes, if you find out the best way to clean the oven I'd be most grateful!
  9. Ha! Good video. Accessible, easy to understand, and entertaining as well. Great job!
  10. Congratulations Linda. I'm been cooking on my BlueStar since last September. I had one issue that I was worried was one of those cracked ignitor problems, but it just turned out a wire was touching the drip pan. I really love the way the burners work and my oven has held its heat very well. I just haven't figured out yet how to clean around the broiler, but that's probably not something unique to a BlueStar!
  11. I had my first fiddleheads of the season recently. I cooked them the way I usually do. I boiled for the recommended 10 minutes first, then I just threw them in the colander and ran water over them. That usually gets rid of enough of the brown fuzzy stuff for my needs. Then I stir-fried them in lots of butter, pressing them against the bottom of the wok to get them slightly crispy on the outsides, before salting and eating!
  12. They're too hard to crack for practical home cooking, methinks, but they're great as snacks in front of the TV! I'm one of those who loves the clean flavor of the red melon seeds and hates how they're seem to be disappearing at supermarkets aside from around New Year's.
  13. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Michael Mina's magic touch, Janet Stacy Finz "Running through the summaries - usually on his cell phone as Mina drives from his Novato home to his self-named flagship restaurant at the Westin St. Francis hotel in San Francisco - has become imperative. It's how the 39-year-old chef-restaurateur keeps on top of quality." Recipe: Michael Mina's Seafood Bake The Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne Springing forward with greens galore Recipes: Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas, Asparagus, Ricotta & Brown Butter Green Onion Crepes with Creamy Eggs & Wild Mushrooms SOUTH TO NORTH, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Happy Cinco de Margaritas Recipes: Guacamole with a Balloon Whisk Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Orange Chipotle Glaze Turkey Tenderloins & Sausages with Agave Marinade Salsa de Molcajete What’s New: Opening: Uva Enoteca opens in San Francisco Opening: Hopmonk Pampas opens in Palo Alto Top Chef: Last S.F. contestant booted from 'Top Chef' Balloon whisk for guacamole El Cerrito, Berkeley market reports Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Beef is what's for dinner at Stark's in Santa Rosa (This review appeared Sunday, April 27, 2008) Dining Out, Carol Ness Berkeley's Maritime East a hidden gem The Inside Scoop Frisson A No Go. . . Nua closes. . . Bakesale Betty expands . . . Mobile bars . . . and more.
  14. Grass-fed is generally more lean, which is why I tend to stick with naturally fattier cuts (such as rib-eye--okay, who am I kidding? I always choose rib eye. But the point still stands). You don't want to choose a cut that naturally lean because you'll get a chewier piece. I suspect that you won't have as much of a problem with your rib roast as you did with the grilled steak.
  15. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Not your grandma's Passover, Melissa Wagenberg Lasher Bay Area cooks create new holiday traditions by adding fresh California twists Recipes: Roasted Carrot Soup Tangy Chopped Liver Matzo Balls with Parsley & Sage Seasonal Cook, Cindy Lee Pea shoots get the green light Recipes: Young Pea Shoots with Caramelized Shallots Pasta Carbonara with Pea Shoots Cook's Books, Amanda Gold Kitchen emporiums share tips, tools What’s New: Openings: Third Mixt Greens Dunking doughnuts and more for dessert Menlo Park Farmers' Market report Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds 'Top Chef' sends second S.F. chef packing Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Near East by far the best rice pilaf The Baker, Flo Braker Rhubarb tarts up dessert Recipe: Milano Rice Tart Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Epic portions, epic prices at Kuleto's Roasthouse (This review appeared Sunday, April 13, 2008) Dining Out, Michael Bauer Eclectic Sea Salt broadens its appeal Dining Update, Mandy Erickson Redwood City's Flaming Fresco a find Pizza of the Week, Michael Bauer The Red Grape in Sonoma The Inside Scoop Siegel group bails out of deal to buy Myth. . . Miette opens East Bay branch. . . Garcon partners open up new shop. . . and more.
  16. I've tried stir-frying (I guess properly called 'sauteeing') with frying pans, but I find it really difficult. For one, as a first class klutz, I invariably flip food out of the pan onto the stove. To prevent that, I have to saute the food so gingerly that the very slowness of it ends up being inefficient. The height of the wok also makes it easier to cover cooking food (say, when I'm doing veggies). Plus, the hot/cold areas of the wok are exactly what I need sometimes. When food is cooking too fast or I have a bit too much liquid in the bottom. I can push food up to the sides of the wok to slow down the cooking or let the liquid evaporate. Also, I really don't use my wok as a specialty item; it's my go-to cookware for just about everything. I use it to make soup sometimes, of course I stir-fry, I deep fry, I steam with it, etc. So, if the question is, "do I need to add a wok to my small kitchen when I already have 50 other pots and pans?" I guess the answer is no. You can certainly use a skillet to stir-fry. However, if you think in broader terms than just "As an eGulleter I want to make Chinese food stir-fry as authentically as possible" you'll find that a wok is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware you can own.
  17. There was something the SF Chronicle talked about a few years ago: adding a tablespoon of pureed prunes to each pound of meat. I've tried it, using prune baby food, and it actually works quite well to keep the meat juicy. There's not prune taste either.
  18. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, April 011, 2008 New Zealand's next step: Saddled with the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc, winemakers yearn for a challenge, Derrick Schneider THE SIPPING NEWS: Winery watch on Landmark Vineyards, Jon Bonné Nuts for Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett Wine list watch on Va De Vi Bistro & Wine Bar, Lynne Char Bennett Learn the art of mixology at spirits school, Tara Duggan In our glasses: What we're drinking, Jon Bonné, Cindy Lee, Laura Compton The Tasting Room: Discovering the silver lining at a Napa Valley winery, Tara Duggan The Cocktailian: A Texas barkeep takes on the Manhattan, Gary Regan Pairings: Cyrus chef's lamb dish tames Napa Cabernet, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Roasted Loin of Lamb with Morels & Mascarpone Polenta The Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $50 and less, Lynne Char Bennett The Cheese Course: Wrinkled chevre from France shows its age on the inside, Janet Fletcher 96 Hours Bargain Bite: Cafe Zeste, Tara Duggan "Just because a restaurant is behind the curve on cooking trends doesn't mean it can't make good food. The fettuccine Alfredo on the menu seemed like a red flag when I sat down to lunch at Cafe Zeste in Berkeley recently. It turned out that the restaurant uses quality produce and makes many of the ingredients in house - including the fresh fettuccine - and the result is lots of lively and fresh flavors on the plate." Bar Bites: Franklin Square Wine Bar, Jane Tunks "Though it might seem that the wine list would be the draw (it is a wine bar, after all), it's chef Jacob Alioto's menu that elevates this otherwise unassuming boite. The menu outdoes itself with well-turned-out riffs on modern California cuisine."
  19. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Chef's Night In, Victoria McGinley After work, a standing date in the kitchen Recipes: Manila Clams with Italian Sausage & Fresh Fettuccine Pan-Roasted Shrimp with Garlic & Chiles Seasonal Cook, Melissa Swanson Asparagus fans support the delta's stalk market Recipes: Cast-Iron Roasted Asparagus Grilled Asparagus with Hazelnuts & Chervil Asparagus with Brown Butter-Basted Egg Spoonbread gets a seasonal makeover, California style, Amanda Gold "Though this comfort food classic stems from a very basic recipe, it can be adapted - and updated - to mirror today's culinary trends, especially with the addition of the Bay Area's seasonal and local ingredients." Recipes: Strawberry Spoonbread with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote Green Garlic, Spring Onion & Gruyere Cheese Spoonbread Asparagus & Herb Spoonbread with Feta Cheese Roasted Poblano Pepper, Sweet Potato & Monterey Jack Spoonbread Maple-Glazed Bacon Spoonbread Basic Spoonbread What’s New: Opening: Chez Papa Resto opens in Mint Plaza Openings: Acquacotta in Alameda, Beretta in the Mission What's New: Miss Vickie's chips What's New: 'Top Chef' sends San Francisco chef home Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Berkeley Farms wins chocolate milk match Benefits Taste of Tamales and Five-Star Night Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Neighborly Local on Rincon Hill (This review appeared Sunday, March 30, 2008) Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Mezes make the meal at Agora in Pleasanton Dining Update, Michael Bauer Barndiva in Healdsburg plays it a little too casual The Inside Scoop Cortez changes hands . . . From Ponzu to Perry's. . . Pescheria closes. . .Burgers at Cyrus. . . and more.
  20. Neither. Demantoid, actually. Relatively close to a tsavorite.
  21. Hubba-hubba, Peter's back!
  22. Ah, this is really whetting my appetite for our November trip. Haven't been back in 5 years and I can't wait! Here in the Bay Area zha leung has become more readily available. Even the older Oakland Chinatown hole in the wall has them. I remember when they first started popping up about 15 years ago but you still have to know to ask for them.
  23. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Going whole hog, Georgeanne Brennan A 'day of the pig' feast celebrates the animal in all its glory Recipes: Braised Pork Shoulder with Mustard & Capers Pork & Tomatillo Stew (Chile Verde) Caillettes Taylor Boetticher's Porchetta Rillettes du Porc (Online-only recipe) Pigs Trotter Terrine (Online-only recipe) Beans make the perfect housewarming dish, Amanda Berne "In the midst of unpacking boxes, it's great to have a Dutch oven on the stove, with gently simmering beans lightly scented with chiles, oregano and thyme." Recipes: Giant Crusty & Creamy White Beans with Greens Pot of Beans (Online-only recipe) Piperade chef pleases picky palates at home, Victoria McGinley Gerald Hirigoyen discusses appealing to picky young palates. Recipes: Pan-Fried Chicken with Lemon & Herbs Mickey's Chocolate Chip Cookies What’s New: Market Watch: Winter's still on Opening: Fifth Floor in San Francisco Opening: Orson, a Falkner-Riddle production set in SF Other Openings: Double Decker, Leonidas Fresh Belgian Chocolates, Zitouna Author Pollan addresses eaters, "You can hear author Michael Pollan's take March 5, in a program sponsored by Cal's Graduate School of Journalism, where Pollan teaches." Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Flora paves the way for great food in a changing hood (This review appeared Sunday, February 24, 2008) Dining Out, Carey Sweet Rosso's rustic fare rewards wait Dining Update, Michael Bauer Simple ingredients shine in hands of Poggio chef Pizza of the Week Firewood Cafe in SF The Inside Scoop Frisson chef heading to Anchor & Hope. . . Ken Frank moving La Toque . . . Kelly Fields at Sens . . . Greens opens for Sunday dinner.
  24. Hest88

    All things Pork/Ham

    Yes, I also do a dry rub (though I don't do the foil method) and I stick it in the oven at about 200 degrees. I check it about 2 hours later and if the ends are brown and it looks tender, then I lightly baste it with a mix of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 water, every 20 minutes for another hour or so. Of course you can skip the basting, but I like the tang it gives.
×
×
  • Create New...