Dinner 2020

mgaretz · August 30, 2020

The wife wanted ramen, so here is what I threw together with what was on hand. Call it ramenesque. Chicken stock with soy, mirin, sesame oil, garlic and ginger, shrimp, char-siu, onions, carrots and rice noodles.

ramen.jpg.0e38599a4967ea2f5fb102d6bbcee343.jpg

liamsaunt · August 30, 2020

BLT to use up a super ripe tomato from my CSA

BonVivant · August 30, 2020

Steamed soft tofu

Soft tofu in doenjang broth

Norm Matthews · August 30, 2020

Charlie has been searching for Chicken Fried Steak like they had in the high school cafeteria so when I see one, I give it a try. He said it was good but he is afraid the only ones like he had mist have been made in a factory. I tried some with cubed steak and some with pork.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Norm Matthews (log)

TicTac · August 30, 2020

21 hours ago, KennethT said:

I've bought some Indian mangoes in NYC before. I'm always disappointed by them - just like you say -stringy and the flavor nothing like what it should have been.

You guys need a better mango hook-up!

In late spring/early summer we go to the local Indian grocery stores for cases of their Alphonso's, Kesar and Neelam mangoes. Pricey, but sooooo worth it!

Strange that you find them stringy, as I would say the complete opposite - really good Indian mangoes are far from stringy (unlike say, the Hayden mango from Hawaii - which was unreal, BTW - but a totally different mango) but far more creamy (and perfume'y!)

Edited August 30, 2020 by TicTac
Grammar! (log)

robirdstx · August 30, 2020

Loaded Baked Potato (butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon, red onion) and Cajun Seasoned Grilled Chicken Wings

Edited August 30, 2020 by robirdstx (log)

Margaret Pilgrim · August 31, 2020

1 hour ago, Norm Matthews said:

Charlie has been searching for Chicken Fried Steak like they had in the high school cafeteria so when I see one, I give it a try. He said it was good but he is afraid the only ones like he had mist have been made in a factory. I tried some with cubed steak and some with pork.

You are sweet to try to recreate this food memory, but husband and I agree that this is one of those foods that you have to resort to a diner or truck stop. Homemade is just to upscale to hit the mark.

KennethT · August 31, 2020

1 hour ago, TicTac said:

You guys need a better mango hook-up!

In late spring/early summer we go to the local Indian grocery stores for cases of their Alphonso's, Kesar and Neelam mangoes. Pricey, but sooooo worth it!

Strange that you find them stringy, as I would say the complete opposite - really good Indian mangoes are far from stringy (unlike say, the Hayden mango from Hawaii - which was unreal, BTW - but a totally different mango) but far more creamy (and perfume'y!)

Yeah, I was talking about the Kesar mangos that I got from the Indian store near me... they were expensive but I thought not worth the price because they were so underwhelming. Decent texture but completely flavorless. It was a pale comparison to the stuff I'd get in Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam for peanuts... I haven't gotten it again.

Norm Matthews · August 31, 2020

19 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

You are sweet to try to recreate this food memory, but husband and I agree that this is one of those foods that you have to resort to a diner or truck stop. Homemade is just to upscale to hit the mark.

It's true that Diners and Truck Stops have equipment and resources that makes food taste different than I could ever hope to make at home and perhaps it is useless to try, but Charlie hasn't found what he is looking for in those places either. A very long time ago a couple of guys I knew had set the same quest for themselves and it turned out to be a lot like that song from Don Quixote. I felt sorry for them to set have such a silly goal but I am finding out is isn't as easy as I thought.

scubadoo97 · August 31, 2020

On 8/22/2020 at 7:19 AM, heidih said:

I can't see a reference to grouper without thinking of Pat Conroy's stories in Beach Music. Never had it. How would you describe it?

Thick filets. Firm and flaky flesh, mild flavor.

Margaret Pilgrim · August 31, 2020

26 minutes ago, Norm Matthews said:

... A very long time ago a couple of guys I knew had set the same quest for themselves and it turned out to be a lot like that song from Don Quixote. I felt sorry for them to set have such a silly goal but I am finding out is isn't as easy as I thought.

If we don't set these (absurd) quests for ourselves, what's it all about?

eta. mine is trying to duplicate the Cornish pasties husband remembers from the Woolworth's lunch counter in mid-century Butte, Montana. Try THAT one on...

Yes, we've returned and sampled all of Butte's current offerings. Mine come close, but no cigar.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

gfweb · August 31, 2020

3 hours ago, Norm Matthews said:

Charlie has been searching for Chicken Fried Steak like they had in the high school cafeteria so when I see one, I give it a try. He said it was good but he is afraid the only ones like he had mist have been made in a factory. I tried some with cubed steak and some with pork.

Maybe salt it more?

MSG?

IowaDee · August 31, 2020

My meal to recreate for hubby is the Philly cheese steak he had while stationed at the Philadelphia Navel Hospital. It just plain ain't about to happen but I keep flailing away at the project. I agree, it is more of a memory than a real taste at this point.

KennethT · August 31, 2020

23 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Maybe salt it more?

MSG?

Everything is better with a little MSG

KennethT · August 31, 2020

Nothing, I dare say nothing is better than rau ram smothered in chicken juices. CSO chicken thighs with salt/lime juice/black pepper dipping sauce.

liuzhou · August 31, 2020

Shrimp with garlic, chilli, garlic chives, white wine and flying fish roe. Served with tagliatelle (or tangly jelly, as my son called it!). Almost identical to @KennethT's lunch which he coincidentally posted at approximately the same time I was eating mine, yesterday evening by my time (12 hour time difference).

Edited August 31, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

CantCookStillTry · August 31, 2020

My husband has asked me to share a photo of his dinner for you guys for the first time!

This is his $22 Chili Con Carne and Rice.

He was so offended.

This is the kid and I's Pizza. I gave him the cooked half.

We went away for the weekend. Sometimes takeaway treats are not so treaty. 😂 You win some, you loose some. But it's important to try and support businesses in these times if you can.

gfweb · August 31, 2020

9 hours ago, IowaDee said:

My meal to recreate for hubby is the Philly cheese steak he had while stationed at the Philadelphia Navel Hospital. It just plain ain't about to happen but I keep flailing away at the project. I agree, it is more of a memory than a real taste at this point.

Its do-able. The key factors are the bread and meat and cheese 😉 . You need a good hoagie roll. Amoroso's are as close as you can get in stores. They aren't like what the steak places get, but they are OK. Should be soft-ish. Not baguette hard.

Re meat you cannot use those crappy frozen things like Steakum. Rather get a cheap cut, like sirloin on sale, slice thin and chop up. pan fry and S/P. Use more than seems reasonable for the sandwich.

Cheese options vary between american, provolone and whiz...nothing else. For me provolone doesn't melt well enough and doesn't complement ketchup. Put cheese on bread first, mix fried onions with the right-off-the-griddle hot meat and apply to roll. If using ketchup put it between the cheese and the meat. Don't use ice cold ketchup.You want the hot meat to melt the cheese.

Naval Hosp is long gone except for a couple buildings.. Its the Eagles practice facility now.

Edited August 31, 2020 by gfweb (log)

IowaDee · August 31, 2020

Thank You, when I found the Amoroso rolls, I thought I'd nailed it but still not quite right. I'll keep trying. And he puts hot sauce on my best efforts anyway!

Yes, when he looked on Google Earth and saw it was gone, he was kinda shocked. But most of his Navy time was spend as a corpsman with the Marines in Camp Pendleton, CA.

liuzhou · August 31, 2020

Later dinner tonight - 9 pm. Pork burger and chips.

weinoo · August 31, 2020

12 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

eta. mine is trying to duplicate the Cornish pasties husband remembers from the Woolworth's lunch counter in mid-century Butte, Montana. Try THAT one on...

Yes, we've returned and sampled all of Butte's current offerings. Mine come close, but no cigar.

image.png.90a1ed1b08f72c46aa2c96263721b363.png

Yesterday, I spent some time making wontons/dumplings...

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and for dinner - Chicken vegetable soup with pork and Savoy cabbage dumplings.

TicTac · August 31, 2020

12 hours ago, KennethT said:

Yeah, I was talking about the Kesar mangos that I got from the Indian store near me... they were expensive but I thought not worth the price because they were so underwhelming. Decent texture but completely flavorless. It was a pale comparison to the stuff I'd get in Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam for peanuts... I haven't gotten it again.

Must have been a bad batch or not properly ripened. Usually the Kesar's are so fragrant and delicious. Certainly in my top 10.

And yes, you are spoiled from having them at the source...so it might be tougher (only source of mangoes I have been lucky enough to have was in Hawaii - those Hayden mangoes, the size of your head - and at around $6 a piece! were unreal). Their passion fruit at $.25 were a bargooon!

scubadoo97 · August 31, 2020

On 8/23/2020 at 7:01 PM, heidih said:

For green salsa I usually just buy Herdez of one of the other biggies. Not the goofy creamy one they are marketing. Nice charred bits and at under a $1 a can - well?