Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[johnsmith45678]

Not a good time to be looking for vegemite, it just got banned from the US!!!!

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WTF? Any idea why?

[Grub]

The bizarre crackdown was prompted because Vegemite contains folate, which in the US can be added only to breads and cereals.

Full story here on news.com.au

[andiesenji]

I wouldn't be without one.

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But you haven't answered my question about why you wouldn't be without one--is saving one trip back-and-forth to the sink with a full pot of water so valuable? Maybe my kitchen just isn't large enough to need the convenience (it's only three steps from stove to sink)?

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I am 67, I have arthritis, fairly severe, especially in my hands, both knees, and my right shoulder isn't doing so well and I have a fractured lumbar vertebra and ruptured discs above and below it.

I can't lift a full 16 quart stockpot. There was a time when I could lift 100 # flour bags and lift full, much larger stockpots but that time is long past.

There is an island between my main sink and the cooktop. The other sink is further away. Walking back and forth with containers of water, lifting them above the rim of the pot repeatedly would cause me problems, and probably significant pain, if I could even do it.

I was much younger and stronger when I had one put in my first remodeled kitchen, however I was catering and regularly used 26 and 30 quart stockpots as well as a large oval pot that covered two burners on my Garland. It would have taken two men to lift those big pots, the 30-quart even has a spigot on the side at the bottom so it can be emptied without moving it.

If there is going to be significant remodeling, why not put one in? I can tell you that if you ever sell your house, it is a great selling point and impresses buyers. It can add many times its cost to your selling price.

Regarding pasta, I don't pour it into a colander in the sink. I use a scoop colander and dip it out of the pot and transfer to a bowl or another cooking vessel. I use a wider, shallower pot because I have difficulty reaching over the top of a tall pot.

Edited October 24, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[beccaboo]

The bizarre crackdown was prompted because Vegemite contains folate, which in the US can be added only to breads and cereals.

Full story here on news.com.au

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Oh no! I just ate a peanut-butter-and-Vegemite toast for my breakfast. I'd better get to PFI and see if they have any more....

Why would they care about folate? It's not one of those things like vitamins A and D that you can get too much of, is it?

[beccaboo]

The bizarre crackdown was prompted because Vegemite contains folate, which in the US can be added only to breads and cereals.

Full story here on news.com.au

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I just read in Slate that it's not true! Folic acid is regulated, but only the synthetic, supplemental kind. Vegemite has naturally occurring folate and is okay.

Excess folate is mainly bad because it can mask symptoms of B12 deficiency.

[snowangel]

When I stopped at the farmer's market the other day, I was very late getting there, and I needed leeks. The lady was eager to get rid of them (last day of the local satellite farmer's market), so I got almost a bushel of them for $3.00.

Now, we love leeks, but I have enough to feed an army, or else my family eats nothing but leeks for the next two weeks.

Can I cut them up, saute them, ziplock them in appropriate sized amounts and freeze them?

[Shalmanese]

The bizarre crackdown was prompted because Vegemite contains folate, which in the US can be added only to breads and cereals.

Full story here on news.com.au

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I just read in Slate that it's not true! Folic acid is regulated, but only the synthetic, supplemental kind. Vegemite has naturally occurring folate and is okay.

Excess folate is mainly bad because it can mask symptoms of B12 deficiency.

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Vegemite Ban an Urban Legend

[Kouign Aman]

When I stopped at the farmer's market the other day, I was very late getting there, and I needed leeks.  The lady was eager to get rid of them (last day of the local satellite farmer's market), so I got almost a bushel of them for $3.00.

Now, we love leeks, but I have enough to feed an army, or else my family eats nothing but leeks for the next two weeks.

Can I cut them up, saute them, ziplock them in appropriate sized amounts and freeze them?

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I've done this successfully with each onions and kale, so why not leeks!

[Kouign Aman]

A person can buy folate supplements in pill form.

They dont taste as good as Marmite.

[Grub]

Beccaboo, Shalmanese, good catch... Damn newspapers and their fact checking...

[andiesenji]

When I stopped at the farmer's market the other day, I was very late getting there, and I needed leeks.  The lady was eager to get rid of them (last day of the local satellite farmer's market), so I got almost a bushel of them for $3.00.

Now, we love leeks, but I have enough to feed an army, or else my family eats nothing but leeks for the next two weeks.

Can I cut them up, saute them, ziplock them in appropriate sized amounts and freeze them?

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I've done this successfully with each onions and kale, so why not leeks!

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I cut them crosswise (actually at a slight angle) cut the resultant discs in quarters, wash very well to get rid of all the sand, dry as much as possible in a salad spinner then place in the dehydrator and dry them.

They retain a great deal of flavor, in fact it even concentrates somewhat. I vacuum pack them in 1 cup portions and store in the freezer. I have reconstituted them in water, chicken broth, milk(for potato soup) and coconut milk, simmering them gently which seems to bring out the most flavor.

I got the idea to try this when I saw a package of (very expensive) dried leeks in a gourmet shop.

I also dry garlic chips (sliced garlic) and chopped red onions (dried white and brown onions are easy to find).

[Kouign Aman]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon. I had a small round one, about 8" in diameter, and it was hells hard to cut.

What is the "proper" (ie functional) way to cut one of these beasts? What sort of knife works best?

This one was grown by a friend. I tried the butcher's knife, I tried the bread knife... I was getting ready to use chisel and hammer. Yes, the fruit was ripe, if not superbly so.

[dockhl]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon. I had a small round one, about 8" in diameter, and it was hells hard to cut.

What is the "proper" (ie functional) way to cut one of these beasts? What sort of knife works best?

This one was grown by a friend. I tried the butcher's knife, I tried the bread knife... I was getting ready to use chisel and hammer. Yes, the fruit was ripe, if not superbly so.

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First, stick the knife INTO the watermelon, and then push it down. Don't try to put the knife edge on the round watermelon surface and push, it'll roll.

[racheld]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon.

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Oh, Sweetpea, we gotta get you into the G.R.I.T.S.!! You just have to let it know who's boss. Lay it on the counter (on a tray if you worry about spillage), on a wet towel for traction. Hold the knife, a good long one, like Norman Bates. Yes, you're gonna stab that melon, but gently---you don't want a ricochet or a projectile.

Stick it right in the middle of the top---I usually cut them lengthwise, but you're the boss of this team. Let the knife go in pretty deep, THEN rock it a bit, slicing toward the end the blade faces. Lots of times, the melons will give a great, surrendering sound, a deep, rich, satisfying noise between a "crack" and a "thud" and split of their own accord, too eager to give up their ripe redness.

Turn it around and slice toward the other end, and if it's a big one, you may have to turn it over and try to make the cuts meet, like two highway-line painters coming from opposite directions.

There you are. Make quarters, or half-moons, or quarter it lengthwise, slide the knife all the way from one end to the other right where the white meets the red, then slice that into neat one inch slices, right in the shell. If you're fancy and it's a party, slide each slice out a bit, alternating sides---pretty presentation.

Enough for once. Next time: A Baby Carriage!!

[dockhl]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon.

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Oh, Sweetpea, we gotta get you into the G.R.I.T.S.!! You just have to let it know who's boss. Lay it on the counter (on a tray if you worry about spillage), on a wet towel for traction. Hold the knife, a good long one, like Norman Bates. Yes, you're gonna stab that melon, but gently---you don't want a ricochet or a projectile.

Stick it right in the middle of the top---I usually cut them lengthwise, but you're the boss of this team. Let the knife go in pretty deep, THEN rock it a bit, slicing toward the end the blade faces. Lots of times, the melons will give a great, surrendering sound, a deep, rich, satisfying noise between a "crack" and a "thud" and split of their own accord, too eager to give up their ripe redness.

Turn it around and slice toward the other end, and if it's a big one, you may have to turn it over and try to make the cuts meet, like two highway-line painters coming from opposite directions.

There you are. Make quarters, or half-moons, or quarter it lengthwise, slide the knife all the way from one end to the other right where the white meets the red, then slice that into neat one inch slices, right in the shell. If you're fancy and it's a party, slide each slice out a bit, alternating sides---pretty presentation.

Enough for once. Next time: A Baby Carriage!!

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What SHE said..................

[hathor]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon. I had a small round one, about 8" in diameter, and it was hells hard to cut.

What is the "proper" (ie functional) way to cut one of these beasts? What sort of knife works best?

This one was grown by a friend. I tried the butcher's knife, I tried the bread knife... I was getting ready to use chisel and hammer. Yes, the fruit was ripe, if not superbly so.

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You sure you had a watermelon????

[Shalmanese]

Big Chinese Cleaver, Wooden Chopping Board. Just give it a solid whack down the middle and it will split in half. Then you can attend to the more delicate work. It's lots of fun

[beany]

Dear Jerkhouse: depends on how hungry you are.    Certainly won't kill you. Some people like it, some don't.  'Course some people eat fish skin too..... 

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I love fishskin, its the best part!!

[racheld]

Dear Jerkhouse: depends on how hungry you are.     Certainly won't kill you. Some people like it, some don't.  'Course some people eat fish skin too..... 

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I love fishskin, its the best part!!

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With catfish, Chris would argue that it's the crispy TAAAAAIIIILLLLS!!! He and DD gather up everybody's discards and crunch them like potato chips.

[Kouign Aman]

I have never, prior to yesterday, cut a watermelon.

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Stick it right in the middle of the top---I usually cut them lengthwise, but you're the boss of this team. Let the knife go in pretty deep, THEN rock it a bit, slicing toward the end the blade faces. Lots of times, the melons will give a great, surrendering sound, a deep, rich, satisfying noise between a "crack" and a "thud" and split of their own accord, too eager to give up their ripe redness.

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Oh shoot! I wanted to include Shalmanese's comment too.

As I said mid-watermelon, "Damn, I have finally found a use for a cleaver!"

racheld, etal, thanks so much. My melon failed to 'surrender', and hugged the knife tightly, making it very difficult to complete that first bisecting downward slice.

Once opened, it looked like a good candidate for watermelon rind pickles.

Perhaps my friends should have left it a week longer on the vine, tho it was sweet enough (I did not personally taste it. Thank you for your kind invitation, but I cant be in G.R.I.T.S: I hate sweet tea and I hate watermelon).

I love the way you write, rachel. Its evocative enough to save me needing to cut another watermelon.

[snowangel]

racheld, etal, thanks so much. My melon failed to 'surrender', and hugged the knife tightly, making it very difficult to complete that first bisecting downward slice.

Once opened, it looked like a good candidate for watermelon rind pickles.

Perhaps my friends should have left it a week longer on the vine, tho it was sweet enough

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BTW, to tell is the watermelon is really ripe, just make sure that tha part that sits on the ground is yellow, not white. And, some have thicker skins than others!

[mrbigjas]

racheld, etal, thanks so much. My melon failed to 'surrender', and hugged the knife tightly, making it very difficult to complete that first bisecting downward slice.

Once opened, it looked like a good candidate for watermelon rind pickles.

if it makes you feel any better, i had a red cabbage like this the other day. it weighed about four pounds, and when i went to cut it in half, i really had to push. later, when i went to wrap up the 3/4 of it i didn't use, the center had bowed out so you couldn't put it back together as it was before you cut it. now that's some major internal tension there. maybe it needed some therapy.

[racheld]

Those crucifers are known as the Woody Allens of the vegetable world.

[andiesenji]

For the really big watermelons (and the huge Hubbard squash, turban squash and banana squash) I have a really nifty machete my neighbor brought me from Mexico.

I have a dough trough I don't use for bread. I place the watermelon in the dough trough, hold the machete above it and let it drop. The weight will split the melon nicely. The Hubbard squash takes a bit more effort but at least I don't have to take it out back and use an axe on it like I used to. I scared the heck out of my neighbor when I was using a ninja yell to assist me in chopping a big old Hubbard with a double bit axe. The next time they went to Mexico, he brought me the machete when they returned.

By the way, the dough trough, that I ordered from Lehman's, has been a godsend for cutting things that tend to roll. I congratulate myself that I have prevented numerous injuries by using it thusly.

[racheld]

We have a machete somewhere---it was atop the upstairs fridge last time I noticed. And a tomahawk. And I don't know what ever happened to the kris.

I wouldn't be surprised if you had a guillotine amongst all those handy-dandy items on your shelves. I'm not speaking mini-bagel item, either.